Tina Gloria Rose

Tina Gloria Rose, beloved mother and grandmother, sister, cousin, and aunt passed away peacefully on February 28, 2021 at 92 years old. Tina was born on May 28, 1928 in San Jose, CA to Rose Gairnese-Caccamo and Samuel Caccamo. She was preceded in death by her late husband, Eugene Wathan Rose and her brother, John Francis Caccamo and her precious niece, Diane Becker. Tina is survived by her sister, Vera Souza (Joe-deceased) and her daughters, Jeanne Watson (Marty) and Trisha Garcia (Michael) and four beautiful grandchildren, Valerie, Marty Jr., Daina and John, and their spouses, and her niece, Darlene Bursch, all of whom she was lovingly proud. She is also survived by many other loving nieces and nephews and her cousin, Margaret Gairnese-Hilje.

Tina was born into a large and prominent Italian/Sicilian family, many whom immigrated from Italy and she grew up with her sister and brother and numerous cousins in San Jose and its surrounding area populated by immigrants from different countries. Tina’s stories, of which there were always many, included the local accountings of life during a period when Santa Clara County was the Valley of the Heart’s Delight and everyone in the neighborhood knew everyone else in the neighborhood, and you ate dinner every Sunday at the grandparents. We would always delight at Tina’s tales: of learning how to and then always driving her father’s truck at 13 years old, the episodes of prohibition liquor being hidden in her grandfather’s water tower and picking apricots for pennies a box in the orchards. She told us stories about the beginning of WWII and how the morning after war was declared her neighborhood woke up to troops stationed in the empty field directly across from her home. She told us often of how she ran into her “one day to be husband” at the Starlight Ballroom on three separate occasions during the war years while he was on liberty and had one dance with him on each of those three occasions. Tina also, told us how at the beginning of the war she lied about her age so she could get a job in a cannery to help on the Homefront.

In September of 1949 Tina, married her husband, Eugene, and they eventually moved and settled in 1957 in Campbell, CA in a home built by her husband on weekends. Tina always took pride in telling everyone that her husband built her beautiful home. As a wife and mother, Tina was devoted to her family and to her two daughters. Tina was always involved in Jeanne’s and Trisha’s schooling, serving often as a room mother, PTA president and Brownie and Girl Scout leader. Tina and Eugene were married for 50 years before Eugene passed away due to cancer.

As a grandmother nothing gave Tina more joy than being with her two granddaughters and two grandsons and watching them grow into adulthood. She equally cherished her young nieces and nephews.

Tina was a cancer and heart attack survivor, and despite lingering pain and issues with each of these health concerns, she rarely ever complained.

Tina had a vivacious smile. She was a kind and spirited person who took joy in living and loving those who filled her life. Her family and her friends are grateful she was in their lives, but she will be missed each and every day.