Obituary of Rose Snell

Rose Snell, 92, of Amsterdam, died peacefully Saturday, February 11, 2006, surrounded by her family. Whether you knew her as Rose, Rosie, or Rosenell; Mom, Grandma, or Grandmama; Grandma Rose, Grandma ?Roni, Big Mamoo, or Zie-Zie Upstairs; you knew a remarkable individual. You knew a woman perpetually young at heart, with a zest for living and always ready to try something new especially a new furniture arrangement?usually kitty-corner. She was a blessing to her family and friends, a gentle soul with a quiet wisdom, and a person of extraordinary generosity. If you ever left her house hungry, it was your own fault. And she was a survivor. Anyone who could survive a lightning strike, brain surgery in the 1950s, and thirty years as a widow on her own, must be considered a survivor. Rose was born in Amsterdam on Thursday, April 17, 1913. She was the fifth child of Raffaele and Theresa Greco Conti, who had emigrated separately from Pisciotta, Italy and settled in Amsterdam. Rose had three sisters, Nettie, Beatrice, and Rosalie; and three brothers, Dan, Vito, and Frank; all now deceased. She attended Amsterdam city schools until the ninth grade, and although an honor student, she left her formal education to begin work Little did she know it was the start of some seventy years of work, not taking ?early? retirement until age 84. Her work included sewing buttons on cards, labels on shirts, and making field jackets during World War II, but in her professional life, she was best known as a glove maker and owner of the Rose Snell Glove Shop. Over time, in this role, she employed hundreds of women?thumbers, tackers, turners, and virtually all the operations needed to assemble finished gloves. Thousands and thousands of dozens and dozens of gloves. Rose was a lifelong communicant of St. Michael?s Roman Catholic Church, and early on, sang with the St. Cecelia?s Choir. She was a member of the St. Sofia Society. Her faith was strong, constant, and deeply felt. Prayer was an essential part of her everyday life. She met her husband-to-be, Clifford Snell, of Little Falls, when she was 16. They were married seven years later, on December 27, 1936. Their marriage lasted nearly forty years, until Cliff?s death in 1976. They had two children, Marguerite and Ralph. Rose took great pride in her children and, as they married, in their spouses as well. Marguerite, who lives in Gainesville, Georgia, was married to the late Gerald J. Sardonia. Ralph is married to Susan Dornbusch Snell; they live in Cooperstown. Besides her children, Rose deeply loved her grandchildren Mark Sardonia and his wife Melanie, Rosemarie Jones and her husband Russell, Scott Sardonia and his wife Karen, Laura Marshall and her husband William, James Sardonia and his fiancée Katherine Casula, Daniel Sardonia and his wife Melissa; Katy Snell, Anna Snell, and Emily Snell. In addition, she cherished her six great-grandchildren, Marisa and Mitchell Sardonia, Theresa Day and Russell Jones, Jr., and Katie and Nathan Sardonia, and two great great grandchildren, Angela Mason and Frankie Chambers. She treasured her special niece, Sarah Abattista, countless family members near and far, and many, many friends, in particular, her dear friend Mary Vecchio. She touched many lives. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2006 at 10:15 am at the Betz, Rossi & Bellinger Family Funeral Home, 171 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, New York, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 11:00 am at St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, 58 Grove Street, Amsterdam. Interment will follow in St. Michael?s Cemetery in Amsterdam. The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, February 15, 2006, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the funeral home. Rose?s family welcomes, in her memory, flowers, masses, or contributions to your favorite charity.