Rose Fusco

The daughter of the late Francesco Tortorello and Caterina DeVito Tortorello, Rose was born on April 10, 1924 in the Bronx– the youngest of nine. Rose graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx and became a dressmaker and member of ILGWU.

Rose married her childhood sweetheart and the love of her life, Alexander Fusco who predeceased her in 1987 after 42 years of marriage. In her senior years, she married Albert Fusco whose companionship and devotion enriched her life until his death in 2010.

Survivors include two daughters, Toni Greco and her companion Tom Petillo of Washingtonville, NY and Kathryn DeLaurentis and her husband Bob of Monroe, NY; one son Alexander Fusco and his wife Janet of Amawalk, NY; nine grandchildren, Cathy Higgins and her husband Richard, Lucian Greco and his wife Sue, KC Decossard and her husband Sakis, Robert DeLaurentis and his companion Ariel Ostrow, Michael DeLaurentis and his wife Veronica, Elyse McEvoy and her husband Tim, Alexander Fusco Jr and his wife Annika, Gregory Fusco and Matthew Fusco; 13 great-grandchildren, Lucian, Roman, Nicholas, Julianna, Ariela, Vincent, Sam, Emily, Dominic, Natalie, Gabrielle, Ryan, and Ian; former son-in-law Lucian Greco and his wife Barbara and several nieces and nephews.

Rose was predeceased by two brothers, Michael and Tom Tortorello; six sisters, Mary DeFeo, Frances Colavito, Irene Rimali, Antoinette Marvullo, Theresa Jacobellis and Nicolina Colavito. She was the last of her immediate family and her passing marks the end of a generation. While we mourn her passing, we also stand in awe of her courage and strength. She lived a life she loved and taught us how to be a family. She will live on in each of us for the rest of our days.

We would like to thank the staff of Middletown Park Manor who provided comfort and care for the past 6 weeks, not only to Rose, but also to her family as we waited together for her life to come to its peaceful end. We would also like to thank Dr. Mahbub M. Islam of Newburgh who cared for our mother for many years and called her “Mama”, which served to make her certain that he really cared for her – and he did. Thanks also to the friends who helped us care for her over the past five years – Hilda West, Shelly Pettinato, Irene Hardison and Nedy Limon. Without you, we don’t know that we would have had our mother for as long as we did. We will never forget your kindness and care. To those who visited and called regularly – thank you. We hope you know how much it meant to her – and to us.

Visitation will be from 3 until 5 and 7 until 9 Wednesday, November 28th at David T. Ferguson Funeral Home, 20 North St, Washingtonville, NY. A mass will be celebrated at 10 AM Thursday, November 29th at St. Mary’s Church, Washingtonville, NY.