Rosalie Caltabiano

Rosalie passed away on Friday, January 23rd, 2026, at the age of 101 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She had very recently visited with her youngest daughter, Diane Richardson and her husband Greg, from Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as her other daughter, Roberta Willard and her husband Gene, who live nearby in Mount Pleasant.

Rosalie was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 18th, 1924, the eldest daughter of Robert and Amelia Torregrossa. She received a scholarship from the Washington Irving School of Music and Arts, where she developed what became a life-long interest in music. During her tenure at Washington Irving, her proficiency on the piano earned her the honor of performing Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Later in life she attended the Juilliard School of Music where she received training as a piano teacher, which became her lifelong career.

Rosalie and her husband exemplified the character and resourcefulness of what Tom Brokaw has celebrated as “America’s Greatest Generation.” In 1946, shortly after Rosalie’s fiancé, Carmelo Caltabiano, returned home from active military duty in the Pacific War and in post-war Japan, they were married on April 28th, 1946. Not unlike many new families following the war, they began their married life in their home in Brooklyn but eventually moved out to Long Island where they raised four children. Carmelo enjoyed a long and successful career in the pharmaceutical industry. They eventually retired to Charlotte, North Carolina, and their marriage continued for 47 years until Carmelo’s death in 1993.

In addition to her musical skills, Rosalie became an accomplished bridge player and mentored many of her friends on the nuances of bidding and strategy. She also distinguished herself as a versatile and talented cook whose many memorable family holidays will be greatly missed. Her legacy also includes four children, two of whom, Carl and Valerie, unfortunately preceded her in their death. In addition to her daughters, Diane and Roberta, she is survived by eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren, and with the hope and expectation of many additional great grandchildren in the near future.

A service to celebrate Rosalie’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 7th, 2026, in the chapel of McEwen Funeral Service – Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210.

Condolences may be offered at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.