Rose Leonardis

Relatives and Friends are invited to attend the viewing on Sunday, February 19 from 1-6 pm at the LaMonica Memorial Home 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston, NJ. The service will also be on Sunday at 3pm.

Daughter of the late Gaetano and Carmela (nee Luisi) Scarponcini and wife of the late Louis Leonardis, she is survived by her brother, Anthony, and cherished by her children Richard and his wife Pam (Cecere) and Thomas and his partner Keith Harris. She is remembered as a devoted and loving grandmother to Kimberly and Michael and a dear friend to Joseph Giovine.

Born August 26, 1925, Rose lived her entire life in West Orange. She began her career in the 1940’s as a bookkeeper for a furniture store in East Orange. Leaving her professional life to raise a family, she later returned to work as a lunch room aide at Eagle Rock School where she touched the lives of many children. She then worked at the West Orange Community House for 18 years; initially as a bookkeeper, but went on to lead the organization as the executive director. In that role she started an after-school program for the children of working parents called the “Key Club” and personally walked the children from the school to the Community House every day. She also worked for 30 years as the bookkeeper to her son Richard’s company Jersey Power Equipment.

Rose was naturally affable and made many friends of all ages. Her door was always open and she freely offered Sunday dinner, a patient ear, and considerate advice. Throughout her life, she maintained a profound, if understated, sense of humor; even unto her last days.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made in her memory to Fastercures at Fastercures.org or the

Patricia Ann Grella Memorial Fund (Hospice Care Fund) at 973-347-6538.