Maryann Rose Goetz Mancini Szajda passed away at Westerly Hospital, Westerly, RI on January 15, 2023, at the age of 75. She was born August 23, 1947, in Hartford, CT the daughter of the late Henry and Blanche (Valentine) Goetz.
Maryann or “Rosie” as she liked to be called, lived a truly full life. Her self-proclaimed greatest accomplishment was her five children, whom she loved with all her heart. Rosie worked tirelessly her entire life and had many and more varied jobs than most. At the age of nine she began cleaning houses on the weekends for an actress and an attorney and babysat three kids down the street from her home. As the middle child of three, Rosie was determined early on to do her own thing. She dreamed of being a ballerina and even auditioned for the Radio City Rockettes while in high school. She was called back by the Rockettes but fate had other plans. At age 16 she married Joe Mancini and by age 18 gave birth to her first child Patrice.
In high school Rosie was a cheer leader, National Merit Scholar finalist and member of the National Honor Society. After having four children, she was finally able to further her education by attending the New England Institute of Interior Design in 1978 for architectural design and qualified as a draftsman. Rosie typically worked two and even three jobs at a time to provide for her children and to make ends meet. Her main job was as a postal worker and Postmaster, but she also delivered newspapers in the middle of the night for 20 years for the Hartford Courant. Additionally, she worked as a butcher, doll maker, seamstress, woodchopper, machinist, draftsperson, and even as a dynamite blaster for a short time. After retiring from the Post Office in 2019 she worked at the self-checkout at Walmart.
Rosie was raised to get married and have kids, but she instilled in her children the idea that they could do anything. Her children’s interests and careers run the gamut. Patrice Bettina is a retired postal worker and a very talented writer. Tina Louise retired as a Commander in the US Coast Guard and has worked for over a decade as a licensed Veterinary Nurse. Jeri-Lyn became a very compassionate and talented registered nurse and certified wound specialist. Joseph Henry became a mechanic and business owner, and now is a mechanic for the US Postal Service. Amanda Eve is a funeral director and breeder and exhibitor of St. Bernard’s, her love of which came from Rosie!
Rosie was gregarious and flamboyant. She loved adventure, lighthouses, butterflies, the color purple, reading, lounging by her pool, bling, matchy-matchy clothes, and very bright shoes. She was a top notch seamstress sewing her children’s clothing, prom dresses and the most fantastic Halloween costumes. She could design and execute anything she put her mind to. She parachuted, rode motorcycles, and spent time with all of her children during their most important life events. Rosie got her first tattoo in the 1980’s, when tattoos on women were unheard of, and went on to get several more throughout her life. She was a “cool” mom. She did everything over-the-top. She was fierce, wild at heart and certainly lived life on her own terms (a trait everyone always admired) right up until the very end.
She was the strongest person her children ever knew and their most influential role-model. She was their biggest fan. In hindsight, she taught them everything they needed to know to survive and thrive in the game of LIFE.
Rosie is survived by her daughters Patrice Bromley (Tyler) of Buxton, Maine; Tina Burke (Sean) of Winnemucca, Nevada; Jeri-Lyn Mancini (Brian) of Dayton, Maine; son, Joe Mancini (Becky) of Andover, Connecticut; and daughter Amanda Szajda of Preston, Connecticut; grandchildren Haleigh Jurgiewich of Maine, Paul Jurgiewich (Meghan) of Maine, Tiffany Lazur (Justin) of Connecticut, and Mallorie Mancini of Connecticut; and great granddaughter Bryleigh Pagano. She is also survived by her first husband Joseph Mancini of East Granby. She was predeceased by her second husband Mitchell “David” Szajda.
A celebration of Rosie’s life will be held on Saturday January 21, 2023 at 11:00 AM, relatives and friends may call prior to the service at 10:00 AM at Church & Allen Funeral Home, 136 Sachem Street, Norwich, CT 06360.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Saintly Bernards Rescue, PO Box 752, Ambler, PA., 19002 or to the Saint Bernard Club of America Charitable Foundation Health Initiative in care of Victor Dingus, Finance Chair, SBCA CF. PO Box 1510 Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.
For online condolences, please visit www.churchandallen.com
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