Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Obit: Rosemary (née Genovese) Castellani

Fri, May 13th 2016 09:20 pm

Rosemary Castellani, a resident of Grand Island, died May 11, 2016, after a long illness. She was 73.

She and her husband, Robert, have lived on Grand Island for over 40 years. She was born and grew up in Niagara Falls and attended Niagara Falls High School. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She taught elementary school in Long Island and

Niagara Falls for a number of years.

Rosemary was very giving of her time and talents to not only her family and relatives, but to her many friends and the community. A member of St. Stephen R.C. Church on Grand Island, she often baked for and gave her time to many church and local events.

Also while on Grand Island, Rosemary and close friends opened and operated Gazebo Gifts on Grand Island Boulevard for several years. Rosemary was a founding member of the Roswell Park Alliance Community Advisory Board where she dedicated herself to help welcome and improve the quality of life for patients and their families. True to her entrepreneurial spirit, she also was instrumental in opening and operating the gift shop at Roswell and in starting the Holiday Card Project, which has now become the Paint Box Project. For her volunteer work at and dedication to Roswell, she was the proud recipient in 1995 of the Katherine Anne Gioia Inspiration Award.

A wonderful cook, Rosemary enjoyed spending time with friends and family particularly during the holidays when she was always baking, cooking and making the occasions uniquely special for family, friends and loved ones.

In July of 2015, she and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Surrounded by their boys, daughters-in-law and grandchildren. Rosemary could not have been more happy or proud of her loved ones, and they of her.

Rosemary also enjoyed reading and travel. She and her husband would often take road trips where she liked to visit quaint small towns, strolling among the antique and art shops and picking up an accessory or keepsake as she enjoyed decorating at home.

She is survived by her husband, Robert; her three sons; Robert, Marc and Bryan, and their wives: Shannon Kelly, Shannon Murphy and Christine Ping; as well as her cherished three grandchildren: Bobby, Colin and Sophia Rose.

The family will be present Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the (Amherst Chapel) Amigone Funeral Home Inc., 5200 Sheridan Drive (at Hopkins Road) in Amherst. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Stephen R.C. Church, 2100 Baseline Road, Grand Island. A committal service will follow at St. Stephen Cemetery. If desired, memorials may be made to Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Share condolences online at www.AMIGONE.com.

Hometown News

View All News