Rosalie "Ro" E Giansante

Rosalie "Ro" E Giansante was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 22nd, 1929, to the late Louis and Mary (Nocentini) Giansante. The youngest of three, Ro was very close with her sister Amelia "Mimi" (b.1925) and brother Gino (b.1927). She attended Little Flower High School and graduated from Temple University in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

She married Francis R. Percival in 1951 and had 1 daughter, Debra, in 1953. She lived in her hometown of Philadelphia until 1980, at her last home in Philadelphia, Deb, her cousins and friends used to gather there in their teen years because as her nephew Lou said, "She was the Cool Aunt". She then moved to Oklahoma for 4 years, then to Georgia for 9 years, before finally settling in Florida in 1993.

Ro discovered later in her life that she was passionate about writing. She began her first book in the late 1980s and published her first novel "Streets" in 2007. After publication of Streets, she was invited as a university lecturer to discuss the ethics and problems of the homeless. In 2009 she was a University online guest lecturer discussing religion in contemporary society as it affects the political culture in diverse nation-states. She was an associate and consultant for the G.W. Corporate Training Institute. She ultimately authored 5 published works under her pen name, R. Gian Sante, and numerous other stories, poems, and memoirs that she left unpublished, including a children's story she wrote for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a former president of the Suncoast Writers and Authors Group and loved sharing the craft with other authors.

Ro is remembered for her loving spirit, warm smile, and caring heart. She loved cooking and sharing meals with family and friends. She was very close with her daughter Deb, as well as her stepson Don, and their spouses, and adored her grandchildren, Taryn and Jason, and her step-grandson Wesley. Ro was blessed to hold three great-grandchildren in her life, and was often surrounded by family, extended family, friends, and her community.

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Rosalie "Ro" E Giansante, age 94, of Clearwater, Florida passed away on Monday, May 15, 2023. Ro was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 22nd, 1929, to the late Louis and Mary (Nocentini) Giansante.

Ro was a passionate writer with 5 published works under her pen name, R. Gian Sante. She was a member of the Suncoast Writers and Authors Group.

She was pre-deceased by her sister, Amelia R. Lambert, and her brother, Gino Giansante.

She is survived by her daughter Debra Sherbuk (Stephen), of Clearwater, FL, her stepson Donald Ripka (Sheryl), of Gainsville, GA, her grandchildren Taryn Harrison, Jason Harrison-Kane (Karlen), step-grandson Wesley Sherbuk, great-grandchildren Soren (deceased), Sydney, and Aoife, Sister-In-Law Marie Giansante, 4 Nephews (Joe, Lou, Tom Giansante and Chris Mullen) and 1 Niece Pam McGowan.

A celebration of A Life Well Lived for Ro will be held Saturday, June 3, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park and Funeral Home, 2853 Sunset Point Road, Clearwater, FL 33759. Funeral Service will be 11am Monday June 5th at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 2281 SR 580, Clearwater, FL. 33763. Inurnment will be 1pm June 24 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3301 Cheltenham Ave. Philadelphia, PA. 19150

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sylvanabbey.com for the Giansante family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Write the World's campaign to help young writers attend a summer writing camp to enhance their writing skills (https://secure.givelively.org/donate/write-the-world-inc/help-teens-attend-writing-camp-this-summer) or Plant a Tree in her memory, a link can be found on this website.