Born April 19, 1925, Rose concluded her epic 95-year journey and went straight to heaven on April 28, 2020. She was the Rose that grew in Brooklyn; born eighth of nine children to Anthony De Martino and Rose Bruij. Rose graduated from Girls High School, in Brooklyn, and attended St. John’s University, in Queens, where she met her husband Michael to whom she was married on July 1, 1950. On Long Island they raised eight children: Michael, Christopher, Gregory, Donna, Matthew, Mark, Susan, and Andrew. After a career as a Medical Records Specialist at Stony Brook University Hospital, Rose moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1986 to be with her family. She restarted her career and life by the sea, devoting another 15 years to the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Public Works Department up until her well-deserved retirement at the age of 75. Her schedule thereafter was rarely left empty as Rose was also a devout grandmother to five grandchildren: Justin, Christopher, Cara, Evan, and Brandan. Recently, she was thrilled with the arrival of her first great-grandchild, Grayson. To meet Rose was to be drawn to her. While it was never out of the norm to find her making friends of strangers, her family was her everything. And to the Boruch family, Rose was Manhattan: the matriarchal epicenter that drew them together for holidays, parties or stories around a dinner table. For Rose there was no family milestone too minimal, no party that wasn’t deserving of an extravaganza, no visit that wasn’t welcomed warmly. Her abundant generosity was a natural expression of her compassionate heart. Every trip was made special, whether it was across the world or down the street for Sunday dinner with family; Rose looked forward to each as a new adventure. Never without the perfect accessories, Rose was known to wear her heart on her sleeve. Her honesty, as expected as her smile, and her wit always landed a memorable punchline. Her beauty was transcendental and not simply external, for all that she loved was classic. As daughter of an Italian opera singer, her love for music was innate. From spending nights along Las Olas listening to her favorite musicians, to toe-tapping at a Broadway musical, to marveling the Mona Lisa in Paris, to an audience with the Pope at the Vatican, Rose cherished and exuded the beauty she encountered. Just like The Greatest Generation she was born into, Rose continued to bloom into each decade more iconically and memorably than the next. She was an undeniable force that will be dearly missed, forever celebrated, and never forgotten.
. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Anthony’s Women’s Guild, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 901 NE 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33301
Celebrate this extraordinary life with us Thursday, May 7th, 5-9 pm, at Kraeer-Fairchild Funeral Home, 4061 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale. Social distancing regulations will be strictly enforced. Broward County Regulations require all guests visiting the funeral home must be wearing a mask or face covering to enter. Online tributes at: www.KraeerFairchild.com
