Obituary of Rosemarie I. Mancini

Rosemarie I. Mancini, 71, formerly of Lee Avenue, Gloversville, passed away peacefully Sunday evening at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam. Born in Gloversville on January 5, 1937, she was the daughter of the late John and Ruth Petrillo Sweeney. She was a 1955 graduate of Gloversville High School. She then worked for a time as an operator for General Telephone Company and later worked for Denkirt's Of Johnstown, making baseball gloves. Following her marriage to Richard M. Mancini on October 12, 1963, they moved to Florida where her husband was stationed at the Naval Base in Jacksonville. He served two tours of duty and gave his life for his country on January 11, 1968 in Vietnam. He was a member of a top secret squadron that was not de-classified until 1996. His biological remains were repatriated and interred in Arlington National Cemetery in May 2003. In the spring of 2008 the squadron will receive the Presidential Unit Citation , the equivalent of the Navy Cross For Heroism at a special ceremony in Washington. Rosemarie then returned to Fulton County as the widowed mother of an eighteen month old son. Her dedication and devotion to motherhood were unparalleled. Rosemarie was challenged with many medical conditions which required her infirment from 2000 to 2005. The power and peace of closure upon her husband's return in 2003 improved her health. She returned to her home and lived with familial support from 2005 to 2007. She was a parishioner of St. Mary Of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church in Gloversville. She leaves her son, Richard J. Mancini and his wife Nancy of Gloversville; grandsons, Niko W. and Richard Santino "Tino" Mancini; sister, Patricia and her husband Frank Scafariello of Gloversville; brother, John and his wife Dawn Sweeney of Fairfield, NY; nephew, Sean Sweeney, nieces, Sheila Sacks and Kiersty Person; a cousin, Kathy LaRowe as well as grandnieces and grandnephews. An infant daughter, Patty Lynn also predeceased her. Services are Friday at 8:15 am at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, followed by a Mass Of Christian Burial at 9:15 am at St. Michael The Archangel Church with Fr. Lawrence J. Decker as celebrant. After forty years of love and devotion, she will at last be reunited with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery. Calling hours are Thursday from 4-7 pm at the funeral home where a service of remembrance and sharing will begin at 6pm. Contributions may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Association, or the American Cancer Society, both in care of the funeral home office.