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Rosemary O’Connor
Rosemary O’Connor, age 65, of Delanco, NJ passed away on September 8, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA. rnRosemary was born on December 17, 1945 in Camden, NJ. Growing up in Riverside and then Delanco, she attended St. Casimir’s Elementary School and Riverside High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in Glassboro, NJ and her Masters in Theology from St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. rnRosemary was a beloved teacher for more than 35 years, first at St. Peter’s School in Merchantville, NJ, and then for 25 years at Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ, where she taught Religion. During her time at Holy Cross, she served as a campus minister, as the head of Lancers for Life, and as the chair of the Religion Department. Rosemary also led student groups on trips abroad, most memorably to Italy and the Vatican. A lover of music, she devoted many years to the music ministry at Holy Cross, where she played her guitar and led the choir for masses. As Rosemary celebrated her final and 25th year of teaching, the student body dedicated the 2009-2010 school yearbook to her, an honor that touched her greatly.rnRosemary was the most wonderful kind of friend. She was devoted, smart, trustworthy, funny, and easy to talk to. She leaves behind a great wealth of friends, her family, students, and coworkers included, that will miss her warmth and kindness tremendously. We are so grateful to her.rnRosemary was predeceased by her parents, Edward and Anna O’Connor, as well as her sister, Carole Gavin, of Edgewater Park, NJ. Much loved sister of Edward O’Connor, of Medford, OR; devoted sister-in-law to James Gavin, of Edgewater Park, NJ; beloved aunt to Claudine Kratz and husband Daryn of Tahoe City, CA, Allison Beynon and husband John of San Mateo, CA, Jocelyne Yoo and husband Peter of Philadelphia, PA, Christopher O’Connor and wife Angela of Sacramento, CA, and Brigitte Gavin of Durham, NC; and dear great-aunt to Annie, Kelly, and Gavin Kratz, Stella Beynon, Michael, Angelina, and Alexis O’Connor, and Carolina Yoo. rnLiturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Casimir’s Roman Catholic Church, 502 New Jersey Avenue, Riverside, NJ at 11:00 AM on Thursday, September 15, 2011. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson, NJ. The family will receive their friends at the Church from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, September 14, and from 10:00 to 10:45 AM on Thursday.rn
11 Comments
Rosemary, we have been friends for a long time, going back to grade school. Over the years I told you several times that I admired you for being a teacher. God blessed you and you responded by teaching the faith to many. I will always remember our brief telephone conversation on Thurs before Labor Day. A couple of years ago you told me that you were prepared to enter the next life, and now you are there. I pray that you have been received into Heaven and that you are enjoying the Beatific Vision as we were taught years and years ago. May God be with you!rnrnLove,rnKim
It was a very special blessing for me to meet Rosemary at Holy Cross High School when I was mentoring the Lancers for Life pro-life student organization. The students and I knew that we needed a teacher to run the group and Rosemary was the first to volunteer. It was Rosemary’s knowledge of her Catholic faith, her cheerfulness, and her devotion to her family that made me request her as a religion teacher for my children whenever possible. I can see her entering Heaven with that beautiful Irish smile on her face.n
As a student of small Holy Cross, I knew Ms. O’Conner before I even had her as a teacher. And when I did, I couldn’t have asked for a better religion teacher. Ms. O’Connor was amazing. She commanded the classroom not with strict discipline, but with patience. Every student respected her for her kindness and her willingness to always help those who needed it. My condolences go out to her family and friends. Ms. O’Connor will be well missed among the Holy Cross family.
My prayers to her family and friends. She was a wonderful woman. I had the pleasure of being one of her students at Holy Cross High School. She was an amazing woman and had a heart of gold. It was a shock for me to see her obituary in the paper, but I know that she is resting in peace with the Lord, she loved so much. I will always remember her cheerful attitude and smile when I take a trip down memory lane to my high school years. She was a treasure to everyone who ever met her. My dearest blessings, peace, and love.
Fillmore Street in Riverside was so much brighter by Rosemary. Her brother Eddie and the late Carole together with Michael and Richie Pattanite had many good times down the ‘driveway’ between her parents home and Richie and Michael grandmother – Rose Pattanite. Grandmom Pattanite treated these kids as her own grandkids. I thought they were my family for years until they moved to Delanco and Uncle Elmer Pattanite said they were the neighbor’s kids. Anyway they were my ‘extended family’ and Rosemary I miss the Memorial Day parade in Riverside when the ‘kids’ would be on front of my Aunt Louise house. This tradition continued when my brother Robbie and I would sit with Rosemary and her friends at the 4th of July parade in Riverton every year for about the past 20 years. We missed you this year but I left a chair for you but God had other better pans and places for you. I know you are in ‘Irish’ part of heaven where there is eternal peace love and joy just as your life on this earth show all your love, compassion and a deep Catholic faith. I know you are with God and your late family and my ‘extended’ late family. I know we shared our own sufferings on this earth many times so now rest in peace with God. Love eternally – Richie.
My condolences to the family and friends of Ms. O’Connor. I had her as a teacher at St. Peter’s School in Merchantville over 30 years ago! She “took Me under her wing” and taught Me how to play the guitar and We played at the masses during lent. She was a very kind person and had a big heart. She will be missed by all. May God Bless You and keep You. Sincerely, Christina Zia
I mowed Ms. O’Connors lawn while in Holy Cross and did all her outdoor work. We spoke about a lot and spent a lot of time together whether is was discussing what vegetables she wanted in her garden, or the latest Holy Cross gossip. She died eggs with us for easter and helped us bake christmas cookies for hospice. Ms. O’Connor was more than a teacher, she was a mentor, an angel but most importantly a friend. She will be greatly missed by all. I love You
I am so saddened by the news that Ms. O’Connor has passed. I haven’t seen her in a number of years but everytime that I did, she always made me feel like it was only yesterday. Ms. O’Connor was my religion teacher at Holy Cross about 20 years ago and I have to say that she was wonderful. She was such a great person, not only in the classroom but where ever you would happen to run into her. I am so sad that she is gone but I know that she is with our Lord. The same Lord that she has served and loved for all of her 65 years. She will be forever missed……..
I was deeply saddened to hear of Rosemary’s passing from our dear friend Sr. Roseann Fernandez. Sister had shared with me that Rosemary was very ill. I taught with her at St. Peter School over 30 years ago but can still see hear smiling face and hear her guitar coming from the 5th. grade room. She was always a caring, compassionate teacher and faculty member. I will keep her and all of you in my prayers. Unfortunately, due to Back to School Night tonight at St. Peter School, I will be unable to attend services tonight or tomorrow but know that I am there in heart and spirit. My deepest sympathy – Sue Masso
Rose,nAll of us gathered today shared in your life’s journey.n…We shared by our presence, be it in person, on thenphone, cards, or Emails.n or by our prayers for youn or by loving thoughts of concern for you.nYou gave us so much to remember and so much to be thankful for…n Yes, Rose, we have all shared in your life in so many different ways. We laughed – we cried. We talked – we listened. We taught but we continued to learn. We explored places, ideas, goals, and God. We celebrated the good times and even the bad times. We danced, we sang the old songs and the new songs. We played guitars and made music together. You gave harmony to our songs and our lives. We broke bread and came to know the Lord. We grew together! At times, we’d raise a glass or two and say “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift…that’s why we call it the present. Rose, you lived each day as a “gift”. You gave us so much tonremember and so much to be thankful for… We will forever hold you close to our hearts. You have truly been a joy and inspiration to each of us. Thank you for showering our lives with your care and concern. You looked beyond yourself to those you love or those who needed love. And now, I know you would want us to “turn our tears into dancing”! Rose, “all we ask of you this day is to remember us as loving you”. You gave us so many wonderful memories. You gave us so much to be thankful for… Today we celebrate you and your life. We celebrate the joy of your new life with the Lord. For a life well-lived, we stand together,nand we applaud you. n