Maria Rocca

Maria Rocca, age 87 and former owner of Firenze's Restaurant in Warren, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at St. John Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan surrounded by her loving family. She was born January 29, 1932 in Pisa, Italy, daughter of the late Giuseppe and the late Sandina (nee: Verdone) Tomaselli.

Born and raised in Pisa, Italy on her family’s farm, it was one life-changing day when Maria would meet the man who would sweep her off her feet and down the aisle of marriage. She was a young 18 years old when she shared her vows to become the wife of the dashing Pasquale Rocca on February 11, 1950 in Pisa, the town of her birth. Maria would go on to share the next 64 years with Pasquale, building upon the comforts of home, raising a family, and growing deeper in love until his passing on February 15, 2014.

Her beloved Pasquale had already been to America once, then returned back home to Italy to resume his single life anew, But following their marriage and many heartfelt conversations between these two lovebirds, they eventually decided they wanted a piece of that “American Dream” as they picked up stakes and headed to the land of opportunity, the U.S.A.

For Maria and Pasquale, that dream was all about providing the best Italian cuisine in town, which gave birth to the iconic “Firenze’s Restaurant,” a community staple in the city of Warren, since 1964, that made you feel like you were somewhere over in Italy enjoying dinner. Founded by Maria and her brother-in-law, Guido Visone, the business would ultimately become a true family affair when Pasquale and their sons joined Maria in the daily meals they produced and served with pride. The menu was rife with Italian fare, and was made with the hands of love. If a request came in for something special, that was Maria’s calling. While Pasquale was in charge of everything up front, Maria’s milieu was in back attending to those unique requests. But be not mistaken,…Maria had it ALL under her watchful eye and control.

Maria was proud to have been a generous “job creator” as well as the owner. For many years, she welcomed countless students from St. Clement Catholic School to join her team of employees as they held many support positions in the operations of the restaurant. She acquired some young & energetic help, they acquired a great boss and some valuable work experience, and the hungry consumers benefitted from stupendous food and great service. And Maria had that all under control as well by way of her periodic strolls through the restaurant, greeting the customers and evaluating the wait staff in the process. She ran a tight ship, but created a restaurant environment that kept drawing the community back year-after-year for one tasty meal after another.  You could always count on Maria and her family providing you with a culinary masterpiece,…and one happy belly. With work ethics beyond measure, Maria remained working until 80 years of age,…and still made weekly visits into the restaurant afterwards to be assured that her legacy was being well cared for.

When Maria & Pasquale were not at the restaurant, you would have often found them out in their gardens tending to the flowers and produce. When it came to their tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and peppers, Nino Salvaggio’s and Vince & Joe’s couldn’t hold a candle to the produce that came out of the Rocca garden. And the flowers? Oh my goodness,…Weigand’s and English Gardens were never more envious than of the floral varieties that populated the garden as well. With meticulous attention, a pair of green thumbs, and a hearty dose of tender-loving-care, the Rocca Flower Patch was not only a thing of splendor and a sight to behold, it was also a winner of the Warren Beautification Committee’s award for 2009. Definitely a proud moment for Maria and Pasquale.

Maria will also be remembered for her deep and abiding faith in God, and in her Catholic beliefs. A longtime parishioner of St. Mary, Our Lady Queen of Families Catholic Church – St. Clement Site (formerly St. Clement) in Center Line, Maria was a prayerful woman who possessed the heart of a servant. Always there to help another in need, she had a giving spirit that reached out in generosity, unselfishly, and never expecting anything in return.

For as much as she gave as a Christian woman, Maria gave even more so  in her role as homemaker and Mom. Though some may say that her boys were a handful, God held those hands close to His heart and gave her wisdom for the moment, peace by the hour, and strength for the day, Maria was not only a wonderful Mom to her own, but was regarded by many children to be an important and vital mentor in their lives, too. Quite simply, Maria was that special kind of person who was considered a Mom to everyone. You can also ask just about anybody who knew Maria, and they would easily attest to how much she loved to talk. Almost makes you wonder how this hard working woman managed to get anything done with all that talking going on, but she could definitely keep you engaged,…especially on the phone. But it was important because she loved staying in touch with those precious cherubs in her life, the grandchildren. They were truly the light of her life and gave special meaning to the title of Grandma. Each moment spent in their company, while on the phone or in person, brought a joy and warmth to her heart that only she could know the magnitude. Yet it invigorated Maria to press on and await the next beautiful opportunity to bless and be blessed.

A loving wife, mother and grandmother, Maria goes on to join her beloved Pasquale, but not without leaving her mark upon the world,…her handprint upon the hearts of her loved ones,…and a storehouse of wonderful memories for all to reflect upon who were blessed to know this incredible lady. Her heart, spirit, and verve for life will truly be missed. Rest in peace, Dear Sister.        

Maria was the beloved wife of the late Pasquale Rocca, and the dearest mother of Francis "Frank" Rocca, Michael Rocca, and John (Helen) Rocca. Loving grandmother of Rosalind (Evan) Topor, Adam, the late Christina, the late Gabrielle, Isabella, Nina (Josh) Pier, Michael, Danielle (Drew) Kwart, Joseph, Jacqueline, Aaron, Alex, and great-grandmother of Ryann, Lucas, Jacob, and Anthony. Dear sister of the late Lidia (Renzo) Scarmelli whom Maria cherished, along with Alfredo and Santina who reside in Italy.

Visitation for Mrs. Rocca will be held on Sunday, June 23rd from 3-9 pm, with a 7 pm Rosary Service, at the D.S. Temrowski & Sons Funeral Home, 30009 Hoover Road at Common (12 ½ Mile Rd) in Warren. Mrs. Rocca will lie in state on Monday from 10:00 am until time of the Funeral Mass at 10:30 am at St. Mary, Our Lady Queen of Families Catholic Church – St. Clement Campus in Center Line. Entombment will follow at St. Clement Cemetery, located on the church grounds.Memorial donations, in memory of Maria's granddaughter, Gabrielle, are welcomed to FAN, Families Against Narcotics, www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org

Please share memories of Maria at her guest book below.