Rona Lee Loscalzo

Rona, was among many things, known for her caring and intuitive nature, compassion for others and for being a supportive and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. As a result of being a sun worshipper, well into her mid-60’s, she always wore a beautiful smile and a very deep tan. The Good Lord took Rona to Heaven very peacefully, in her sleep, on December 25, 2020.

Rona was born in the Bronx, NY on May 3, 1943. She and her family moved to White Plains, NY when she was 6 years old. Rona is survived by her husband Vince Loscalzo, her children, Melody Perpich and Arielle White, her stepchildren, Marc and Leslye Loscalzo, Tami Loscalzo and her three grandchildren, Dylan and Isabella Perpich and Alayna Loscalzo. Also surviving Rona are her brother and sister-in-law, Harlan and Olivia Fischer.

To say Rona was beautiful is a major understatement. As a young teenager she won a “Home-A-Rama” beauty contest and was named Miss White Plains in 1959. She could have chosen a career as a supermodel but married and began raising the first of her two daughters in 1963, as her alternate path. As the mother of two young children, she remained fashionable and admired nonetheless and was unexpectedly photographed for a street style fashion piece published in the New York Times, on June 19, 1971. Rona held many jobs over the years, most of them in sales and marketing. Most notable was her success as a business entrepreneur. She established an advertising and marketing company by selling and placing business advertisements on paper placemats for people to read while waiting for their food to be served. Rona provided these placemats to restaurants and diners in the greater metro New York area. Rona was a skilled salesperson and closer, fostered by her unsurpassed ability to sell sand in the desert and her refusal to take “no” for an answer. Needless to say, her business flourished.

In addition to Rona’s beauty and sales skills, she was also known for having several superpowers, two of which included: (1) bionic hearing - exemplified by her ability to detect, within a 1/1000th of a note, someone singing off key and (2) the uncanny ability to identify the smallest of fibs and white lies through use of her patented “BS Detector”. These skills continued to amaze (and occasionally embarrass) friends and family throughout the years. Let’s just say that if you had trouble with pitch it was better to sing in the privacy of your car or shower than in front of Rona. It was also better to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God.

Rona retired from the workforce in 2000 after a debilitating injury suffered while at work. By then she was dating Vince Loscalzo and they were married on May 27, 2001. Rona and Vince lived in Bayville and Glen Cove, New York until Vince fully retired at the end of 2003. In an effort to continue supporting Rona’s love of the sun and to nurture Vince’s love of tennis, they moved to Boca Raton in January, 2004.

Rona enjoyed almost 17 years of Florida living. She loved and lived her life to the fullest. She and Vince took exciting trips to many places. Her favorite destinations were Italy and France which they visited multiple times. She loved having her family from Chicago and Long Island visit her and Vince in Florida and in turn she and Vince made many enjoyable visits to Chicago and New York. Rona was also involved in community affairs serving on the social committee of her Homeowners Association and the planning committee as a liaison person between The Boca Raton Regional Hospital and The Boca Pointe Country Club, both in the community where she and Vince lived.

Rona also socialized with her many lady friends enjoying weekly games of canasta, bridge and Mahjong. Rona, a strategic thinker, was an excellent card player. Everyone knew that it was impossible to read Rona’s face for clues to determine what cards or tiles she was holding. She was a fierce competitor and valued team player if on your side. It was always best to have Rona on your side during card games and in life.

Rona never feared dying. A realist, she knew that everyone has an expiration date. She would not want any of us to mourn her passing. To honor Rona’s wishes, as soon as the pandemic is behind us and we can safely gather in large groups, there will be two celebrations of Rona’s life. One will be held for family and another for her many dear friends.

Until that time, if anyone would like to make a donation in Rona’s memory, she favored the Shriners Hospitals for Children and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Both are wonderful organizations dedicated to advancing cures and defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases through research and treatment.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital link:

https://www.stjude.org/donate

Shriners Hospitals donation link:

https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/give