Rose Kanka

Rose Kanka was born in Brooklyn, NY on September 2, 1932 and she passed away in New York City on July 28, 2025 at the age of 92.

Rose was the eldest daughter of Carl and Louise Trucchio and she grew up in East New York with her two brothers, Joseph (Lefty) and Anthony, and her two sisters, Antoinette (Annie) and Gloria. They were all part of a large and loving Italian American family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins.

Rose graduated from East New York High School where she excelled in bookkeeping and shorthand. She would have liked to continue on to college to become a teacher or a nurse, but instead, she chose to take a clerical job so that she could earn money to help her parents.

While working in the bookkeeping department of the Book of the Month Club, Rose met Robert (Bob) Kanka, who worked in the shipping department, and they fell in love. When Bob returned from serving in the army, they were married on January 31, 1959. They had one child, a daughter, Alex (birth name Arlene). Rose and Bob were happily married for 42 years, until Bob's death on August 12, 2001.

Rose liked to draw and do crossword puzzles. She enjoyed music and singing. She also enjoyed watching the Hallmark mystery channel, and she was an excellent cook. Her delicious butter cookie recipe became well-known as "Aunt Rosie's butter cookies" even by people who had never even met her.

Rose was a very kind hearted person who touched the hearts of everyone she met and is fondly remembered by all who knew her. She never hesitated to go out of her way for anyone in need, especially her family, who were all so important to her.

Rose spent the last year and a half of her life at The Riverside nursing home, and I would like to say a special thank you to the staff there who took such good care of her when I was no longer able to.

Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, her older brother, Joseph, her younger sisters, Antoinette and Gloria, and her "kid" brother Anthony.

Rose is survived by her daughter, Alex, as well as Joseph's daughters, Jo-Ann, Carol and Barbara and their families, Antoinette's daughter, Louise and her family, Gloria's daughter Lisa and her family, and Gloria's son Carl.

I would just like to say that I am proud to be Rose Kanka's daughter, and I'd like to close this tribute to my mom by sharing something I wrote in my journal about my last visit with her.

"Sitting here together, both of us waiting to go home. Me on a plane and you on the wings of angels. It makes me cry even though I know it's for the best. You're so tired. It's time to rest in the love that's all around you. They keep telling me that everything will be okay. All I can do is believe them as I make my peace with all that has gone between us. I love you, mom. Through it all, I always have and I always will."

A wake will be held for Rose on August 11th from 3 - 8 pm at the Walter B. Cooke Funeral Home 352 E. 87 Street, New York, NY 10128. Burial will follow on August 12th at Calverton Cemetery after a brief service at the funeral home that will begin at 10 am.