Rose Mastrorilli

IMPORTANT:  DUE TO THE SNOW STORM FORCASTED FOR  SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2025, ALL FUNERAL SERVICES FOR ROSE MASTRORILLI HAVE BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ONE WEEK LATER, ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2025. VISITATION WILL BE FROM 2-4 PM AND A SERVICE WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW AT 4:00 PM.

Rose Mastrorilli was truly one of a kind! A big heart and a fiercely independent spirit, she enjoyed life on her own terms. Rose, of Whiting NJ and formerly of Cliffside Park NJ, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 27, 2025 at the age of 94.

Rose was the daughter of Elizabeth and George Popovich, and one of six children raised in the family’s home on Lafayette Street in Jersey City, NJ. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1948.

In 1952, Rose met her beloved husband, Joe, on a blind date at a local bowling alley. While her first impression of Joe’s bowling advice wasn’t exactly favorable - resulting in numerous gutter balls - subsequent dates went much better. Their relationship endured even when Joe enlisted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Munich, Germany. With no email in those days, they stayed connected through countless letters. When Joe returned home, he proposed with a beautiful engagement ring, and on October 30, 1954, they exchanged vows in a joyful autumn wedding. Their honeymoon took them to Miami, Florida.

After the honeymoon, Rose and Joe started married life together in an apartment on Pine Street in Jersey City. They were soon blessed with the birth of their firstborn, Joan, who was followed by baby sister Marian. In 1960, they moved to their own home in Cliffside Park, where they enjoyed a stunning view of the New York City skyline. After 28 years, they relocated to Marietta, GA, for Joe’s job. Sadly, Joe passed away just a year later in March 1989. With no deep ties to Georgia, Rose moved back north, settling in a houseboat in Northfield, NJ, her favorite home ever, at the Jersey Shore. She spent the next eight years there, visiting Atlantic City’s casinos, where she favored slot machines and enjoyed shows by entertainers like Jerry Seinfeld and Don Rickles. Eventually, she moved to a mobile home in Whiting, NJ, until 2023, when at age 92, declining health necessitated her move to Oakland Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Oakland, NJ.

Rose was sharp-witted and intelligent. She worked as a secretary for various Manhattan companies, including a role with the Army Signal Corps. After taking time to raise her daughters, she returned to work as a secretary in the physical therapy department at Hudson Manor Nursing Home in North Bergen, NJ. She essentially ran the department and loved every moment of her job, earning the respect of coworkers and residents alike. She worked there for about ten years before leaving in the early 1980s. Rose never needed a driver’s license, she simply walked to work every day.

Despite her sharp mind (she could write backward and upside down), Rose preferred to keep life simple. She never embraced modern technology. Her idea of a cell phone was a well-worn cordless phone held together with tape. Rather than streaming movies, she relied on her VHS player, and she balanced her checkbook to the penny using nothing but a pencil and scrap paper.

Rose found joy in creating handmade gifts for friends and family with liquid embroidery, a fabric painting technique that gave a three-dimensional effect similar to embroidery. She decorated T-shirts with original designs, bed sheets with Archie comic characters, and lyrics from songs including originals by her daughter Marian. She was also a gifted Hungarian cook, known for family favorites like potato soup with kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, kapusta, potato salad and pot roast. Her ability to make perfect gravy from seemingly nothing earned her the affectionate title of "The Gravy Master."

Above all, Rose will be remembered as a devoted mother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, and friend. She was a kindhearted and generous woman who valued people over possessions and always gave freely to those in need. Rose had particular affection for cats, and always had a cat in her life. She had a wonderful and mischievous sense of humor, making her a joy to be around.

Rose was the beloved wife of the late Joseph Mastrorilli, with whom she shared 35 wonderful years of marriage. She was a loving mother to her daughters, Joan Mastrorilli and her companion Trapper Quinn of Wayne, NJ,  and Marian Mastrorilli and her husband Glenn Govier of Huntington, NY. She was predeceased by her five siblings: George Popovich, Joseph Kizmann, William Popovich, Anna Marie Shustowitz, and Clara McGill. She was also a dear aunt to many nieces and nephews.

Rose’s family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the caring, loving, and dedicated staff at the Oakland Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center for the exceptional compassion and support they provided to Rose during her time there. Their kindness and attentive care brought comfort to both Rose and her family, and their efforts will always be truly appreciated.

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In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Rose’s memory may consider a donation to:

Alzheimer’s New Jersey

Attn: Development Dept.

425 Eagle Rock Avenue, 203

Roseland, NJ 07068

The Humane Society of the United States

1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450

Washington, DC 20037