Rosemarie Candia

Lifelong Staten Island resident Rosemarie ‘Rose’ Candia, age 61, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at home on February 11, 2021 after a two year battle with cancer.

Rose was born on June 20, 1959 to Francis and Annamae Barto in Charleston, Staten Island, and was the youngest of six children. She graduated from Tottenville High School in 1977 and immediately began a successful career in retail. Over the next 20 years in this position, Rose met many lifelong friends, as well as her husband of 37 years, Joseph Candia. After they married, she left her job to become a homemaker, and her family has been the core of her life ever since.

Rose’s home has always served as the base for family gatherings around the holidays, stemming from her strong desire to keep her family close. In fact, Christmas was her most favorite time of the year. Not just hosting the family, but decorating the house, watching Christmas movies, and making sure everyone got the perfect presents were always highlights of her year. Rose was the kind of person who would always put herself last, and she’d get frustrated whenever she got too many presents on Christmas day, despite doing everything she could to spoil her children. Throughout the lives of her children, Rose was always front-and-center at every activity and event, whether it was music and dance concerts, Girl Scout events, or just casually playing games at home. She had something of a perfectionistic streak and insisted on nothing less than the best she could do, whether that meant a spotless house for visitors, a perfect Thanksgiving meal, or catching every Pokémon with her kids.

Rose is survived by her husband Joseph, her two sons Anthony and Robert, her daughter Jessica, her brother John and his wife Carol, her brother Francis and his wife Leslie, her sister-in-law Claire, her brother-in-law Steven, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents Francis and Annamae, her brother Richard, and her sisters Catherine and Patricia.

Rose will be held in repose on Monday February 15th, from 2-4PM and 7-9PM at Bedell-Pizzo funeral home.  Mass will follow on Tuesday at 10AM at St. Joseph’s church in Rossville.  She will be interred at Resurrection cemetery in Pleasant Plains.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center through the fundraising page in Rose’s name.

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