Maria DeRosa

With profound sadness and a deep sense of loss the family of our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, Maria DeRosa, announces her passing on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. She went peacefully with her family by her side.

Mom was born to Luigi and Teresa Maione in the small Italian village of Malito, Cosenza, on September 25, 1926, the oldest of seven siblings. She married the love of her life, our Dad, Francesco (Franchino), on March 6, 1942. In 1956, she, along with their two children Luigina and Vincenzo, arrived in Winnipeg and were reunited with Dad, who had immigrated three years earlier to prepare for their arrival. One year later they welcomed their third child, Rosina, and their family was complete.

Mom was a homemaker for the majority of her married life. She loved to bake and cook, while tending to her family’s needs, her home and her vegetable garden. She also loved sitting outside on summer days, stealing a moment here or there between her various chores, to bask in the warmth of the sun’s rays on her shoulders and face. As the years passed she found pleasure in spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and enjoying a cup of espresso with family and friends. Mom really enjoyed watching the Italian station, RAI, especially on Sundays when she would participate in Mass televised from the Vatican or cheer on her favourite soccer team, AS Roma. Her grandchildren will fondly remember her regularly asking them “a mangiatu (did you eat)?” whenever they would visit, and offering to cook them pasta. She always wanted to ensure that they were well fed.

Welcoming Mom to heaven will be her husband Franchino and son Vincenzo, and parents Luigi and Teresa Maione and sister Giuseppina Gatti.

Mom is survived by her daughters Luigina (Carmine) Fiorillo and Rosina (Domenico) Fiorillo, daughter-in-law Raffelina (Lina) DeRosa, grandchildren John (Sina), Frank (Tracy), Maria (Tony) Frank (Shannon), Anna (Jason), Tony (Nicole), Carmine, Frank, and great-grandchildren, Gina, Marianna, Michael, Carissa, Myla, Drew, Vincenzo, Michele, Francesco, Serafina, Franco and Guiliana. She also leaves to cherish her memory her brothers, sisters and a multitude of family members both near and far.

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 15 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Parish Church, 510 River Avenue with Rev. Fr. Sam Argenziano as the Celebrant. Viewing and Condolences will begin at 10:00 a.m. Entombment will be in the Chapel of Eternal Memories Mausoleum at Waverley Memorial Gardens, 1501 Waverley Street, following a light lunch. Pallbearers will be Maria’s grandsons.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation www.heartandstroke.ca

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins