Mary Rose Favuzzi's Obituary
Mary Rose Favuzzi, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend to many, went peacefully to be with the Lord on November 28, 2020 in Pacifica, California at the age of 95.
Mary Rose was born to Giovanni and Salvatrice (DiSimone) Bartolotta on August 30, 1925 in the Bronx, New York. She was one of five children in their Sicilian family and quit school to work in New York’s garment industry to help support the family. There she became a talented and creative seamstress.
Mary Rose loved to dance and met her beloved husband Dominick on the dance floor. They were married September 23, 1950 and opened an Italian bakery together while raising their three children, Dominick, John and Teresa. In 1966, the Favuzzi family left New York for Pacifica, California seeking better opportunities. Mary Rose worked in local fabric stores and became well-known for creating beautiful wedding veils, baptismal gowns and special garments. Mary Rose lovingly crafted custom wedding veils for both daughters-in-law along with baptismal gowns for her grandchildren and for many in the community. She also supported her husband Dominick’s entrepreneurial efforts as the bookkeeper for his winemaking, farming and painting businesses.
A lifelong Catholic, Mary Rose was a faithful member of St. Peter’s Parish in Pacifica. She and Dominick were founding members of the local Italian Catholic Federation, Branch 213. There they shared their love for food, dance and everything Italian. Mary Rose volunteered with St. Anthony’s Stitchers, making crib sheets, bibs and other items for families in need. Upon Dominick’s passing in 1999, she joined the Pacifica Senior Services Grief Support counseling group at the Pacifica Community Center where she healed from her loss and helped others with theirs.
Family and friends will always remember Mary Rose for her love of cooking and baking. Her famous Italian cookies, cream puffs and almond, poppy seed and chocolate cakes were favorites enjoyed by many over her lifetime. It was a family tradition to customize our birthday cake choosing the type of cake, filling and icing we wanted.
Over the last few years, she touched the lives of her caregivers both in-home and at the Sunvalley Chateau. They all admired her faith, resilience and strength to push through difficult physical and emotional times with grace and appreciation for the care she received. We are forever grateful to each of her dedicated and compassionate caregivers.
She was preceded in death by her parents Giovanni and Salvatrice (DiSimone) Bartolotta, eldest brother John and wife Vivian, sister Lucy and husband Bing Giampino, younger brother Ralph, brothers-in-law Sal Schillizzi and Leo Favuzzi; her loving husband Dominick and caring daughter Teresa, who died of leukemia in 2018.
Mary Rose is survived by her sister Laura Schillizzi; sister-in-law Madeline Bartolotta; son Dominick and daughter-in-law Marjorie, grandchildren Josh, Marina, Marcus and his fiancé Hazel; son John and daughter-in-law Barbara, grandchildren Michael, Christina and her husband Stan; daughter Teresa’s wife Carol Bradley; along with numerous nieces and nephews mostly in the New York area.
Due to COVID-19 limitations, a private ceremony will be held at Skylawn Memorial Cemetery on December 19, 2020. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests donations be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society http://www.lls.org/ or St Peter’s Parish in Pacifica. http://www.stpeterpacifica.org/
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