Rosemary Graffagnini Caracci

Rosemary Graffagnini Caracci entered peacefully into eternal rest on March 21, 2021. Rosemary was born in New Orleans on April 12, 1929, to the late Mark Graffagnini and Mary Schlacci Graffagnini. She was married to the love of her life the late Frank Joseph Caracci. Rosemary was also preceded in death by her brother Nicholas Mark Graffagnini. She is survived by her sons, Vincent Mark Caracci and Mark Nicholas Caracci. Rosemary was the beloved grandmother of Frank Andrew Caracci (Rebecca), Rosemary Caracci Long, Frank Christopher Caracci, Vincent Mark Caracci and Frank Joseph Caracci. She was also the great grandmother of eight great-grandchildren and mother-in-law of Inez Bucaro, sister-in-law of Josie Sunceri Graffagnini and numerous nieces and nephew.

First and foremost, Rosemary would want to be remembered as “MaMa 2”, the name that her eldest grandchild, Frank Andrew, graced her with. After that friends, family, and business associates also preferred to affectionately call her MaMa 2. For those who knew her best, Rosemary will also be remembered as eternally twenty-three.

Rosemary began life as the daughter of Mark and Mary Graffagnini who operated an uptown family grocery store with her maternal aunts on Freret Street. She graduated from McMain High School and attended the Tulane Music Symposium.

After marrying Frank Joseph Caracci, she then focused her life on raising her boys and working side by side with Frank at their grocery store at the corner of Elba and Rendon Street. They went on to acquire numerous French Quarter nightclubs, amusement companies and properties all over New Orleans, Kenner, and Jefferson Parish. They traveled throughout the United States with their thoroughbred race horses. Following Frank’s death, Rosemary became the CEO of Vieux Carre’ Realtors and managed the families’ numerous businesses.

Rosemary was a lifetime resident of New Orleans. She was a member of numerous women’s carnival organizations including the Elanians and Venus. She also loved Lake Vista garden club and embraced her Contessa Entellina roots. Finally, she was a proud Saints supporter since their inception in 1967. Family and friends will fondly remember the many over the top after Saints game parties that she hosted where the pool table was covered in Italian feast, crates of lobsters were steaming by the pool, and the card games that lasted well into the night.

Rosemary will be remembered for her love of family and her lifetime devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Catholic Church. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Father Patrick J. Williams for his consolidation to MaMa 2 and the gift of the last sacrament. The family would also like to extend to Pola “Luby” for her twenty-five years of love, care, and friendship she gave MaMa 2 to the very end of her life. We also thank and love Rosemary’s only granddaughter and namesake, Rosemary, for being her “sidekick” up until her final moments.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend services to be held on Friday, March 26, 2021 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 6666 Spanish Fort Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with Mass to follow. Interment will be at Metairie Cemetery at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, Louisiana. The family request that contributions be made in her name to St. Pius X Catholic Church, Holy Cross High School, and Mt. Carmel Academy.