Rose Ann (Dibuono) Dantone, 101, of Bartonville passed away March 23, 2019 at Grand View Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Peoria. She was born December 10, 1917, the daughter of Joseph and Santa Maria (Vullo) Dibuono. She married Joseph F. Dantone on May 10, 1941 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Peoria and she remained his “girlfriend” through 70 years of marriage until his passing. She is survived by two daughters, Rose Ann (David) Eimer of Nottingham, Maryland and Marian Sue (Charles) Hertz of Bartonville, Illinois. She has four grandchildren, Chad (Linda) Hertz, Shane (Mary) Hertz, Elizabeth Eimer and Lisa Eimer. Great grandchildren are Parker (Tasha) Hertz, Hailee (Mark) Smith, Alexi (DeeJay) Toilolo, Marissa (Nick) Vlasin, Melanie Dunkerley, Michael Hertz, and Liam Eimer-Gleason, as well as one great-great granddaughter, Indi Toilolo. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews and her brother-in-law, Chuck Dantone. She was preceded in death by her husband and all of her siblings, Sam, Peter, Russell Dibuono, Mary Vaccaro, Helen Commean, and Gloria Tedeschi. Her family would like to offer special thanks for the dedicated and loving care she received from all of the staff at Grand View and from Harbor Light Hospice staff, especially Jenny and Susan.
Rose was a very energetic woman, always busy with her hobbies and many interests. She could multi-task with the best or just sit quietly and read her paperbacks. If she was watching television in the evening her hands had to be busy making crafts or crocheting a doilee, never missing a stitch. She was the true Italian, she loved to cook but loved baking even more. Baking was her passion along with cake decorating. Before her first grandchild was born she took cake decorating classes and from then on baked and decorated her grandkids’ birthday cakes according to whatever theme they requested. One special one was a darling doll cake for her youngest granddaughter. At Christmas she baked hundreds of cookies, fruit cakes, made candy and gave plates of her goodies to all of her and Joe’s siblings, family, friends, even mailing some to family out of state. Her desserts were beyond delicious! Because she loved company, even unexpected company, she always kept a pan of her lasagna & frozen fruit pies in the freezer so she could throw a meal & dessert in the oven & entice them to stay for dinner, then send them home with leftovers!
She and Joe tended to their abundance of flower gardens and huge vegetable garden together, then canned or froze enough vegetables to last the year, always being generous to everyone with the fruits of their labor.
Like most of the women of her generation who grew up during the depression, she learned to knit, crochet, sew and was a master of all. Growing up poor, she never owned a bicycle so never learned to ride one. But Joe bought a tandem bike for the two of them to ride together so they could take their young grandsons to Wisconsin to ride the bike trails.
Rose especially loved fishing on the banks of the Illinois River, Rice Lake, Lake Chataqua and the small lakes on their recreational property in Fulton County. She was an avid fisherman and could often out-fish her husband and three brothers, much to their dismay.
After Joe’s retirement they loved to travel on bus trips but their most memorable vacations were to Hawaii and Italy. In later years their favorite trips were to Galena, Illinois with close friends. And she never let Joe forget that on one of those Galena trips he started driving away from a rest stop without her because he was busy gabbing with their friends in the car and didn’t realize she hadn’t gotten back in it! But her favorite pastime for over 40 years was weekly ballroom dancing with her beloved Joe. And she loved shopping for her “dancing clothes” and all the matching costume jewelry.
Rose and Joe attended Mass daily for many years and she prayed her rosary daily until her memory started failing. Rose approached life with unwavering faith, a kind heart, gentle grace, total acceptance and a tireless work ethic, enjoying life’s simple pleasures with Dad. Her most precious gift was her kind and compassionate heart. She was a much loved wife, mother and grandmother. We are immeasurably blessed by her life and love for us along with Dad’s. Reunited, may they now enjoy an eternity of their cherished ballroom dancing together!
Visitation will be Friday, March 29, 5 to7 p.m. at Davison-Fulton Bartonville Chapel with a Scripture Reading at 6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Bartonville on Saturday, March 30 at 10:00 a.m. with additional visitation at 9:30 a.m. Father David Heinz will officiate. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in West Peoria, Illinois. Memorials may be made to St. Anthony Catholic Church, 2525 Skyway Rd., Bartonville, Il. 61607 or Alzheimer’s Association, 614 W. Glen, Peoria, Il. 61614.
To view Rose’s memorial page or to leave an online condolence please go to www.davison-fultonbartonvillechapel.com.
