Rosemary Emma Calandrillo

Rosemary Emma Calandrillo went to be with her Lord at the age of 91 on September 11, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Rosemary was the youngest of seven children born to John and Rose Redmond. She attended St Willowbrord School, where she excelled in clerical studies and the modern technologies of her time - including stenography and typing. As a young Canadian girl, she treasured ice skating with family and friends.

After graduating high school, Rosemary attended a one-year business college and quickly found employment with a local bank. Soon after, she joined Northern Electric and began in the typing pool, later advanced to the personnel department where she worked for eight years. Her career then led her to Zaloom Brothers in Secaucus, New Jersey. There she served as an executive secretary for twelve years. She often fondly recalled the aroma of pistachios that permitted the office, a company import.

Rosemary’s life changed forever when she met Harry Calandrillo during a vacation at Lake George, New York. The two made an immediate connection.  Harry would travel to Canada over the next year frequently to visit her.  As fate would have it, they fell in love and on May 3, 1958 they became husband and wife exchanging vows surrounded by family and friends.  Together, they settled in Union City, New Jersey, where they raised their four children; Mark, Bart, Rhonda, and Ronald. Rosemary embraced the role of homemaker for the next fifteen years, devoting herself fully to her family.

Rosemary and Harry cherished twenty-seven years of love and loyalty until his passing in 1985. Following this profound loss, she moved to Pompton Lakes, NJ in 1997 and has been there ever since.  She found purpose through service at Calvary Temple International in Wayne, New Jersey initially starting as a volunteer. Her clerical expertise soon led to full-time employment where she remained dedicated for twenty-seven years retiring at the remarkable age of eighty-seven.

An ice cream connoisseur, Rosemary enjoyed puzzle games on her iPad, knitting, crocheting, and various other arts and crafts, including painting in her earlier years. She enjoyed swimming and loved to sing.  She will be remembered as a positive, caring, generous, and thoughtful woman who often put the needs of others before her own. Practical and determined, she demonstrated natural leadership as she actively served in her church community. 

Deeply committed and unwavering in her faith, one of her most cherished endeavors was supporting Royal Family Kids Camp, a ministry through Calvary Temple International serving abused and neglected children.

Above all, Rosemary’s greatest joy was her family. Nothing in the world meant more to her than spending time with and providing for her family.  She leaves behind a legacy of love, devotion, and faith that will be treasured by all who had the privilege of knowing her. She will be dearly missed.

Rosemary is survived by her four children; Mark (Sylvia) Calandrillo of Mount Zion, IL, Bart Calandrillo (Debra Malone) of Woodridge, NJ, Rhonda Calandrillo of Pompton Lakes, NJ, and Ronald Calandrillo of Pompton Lakes, NJ, two sisters; Shelia White of Nova Scotia, Canada, and Irene Germain of Montreal, Canada, ten grandchildren; Joshua (Ellen) Calandrillo, Jonathan (Melissa) Calandrillo, Jeremy (Mickie) Calandrillo, Hillary (Kyle) Carlson, Jordan (Miranda) Calandrillo, Hannah (Ian) MacKenzie, Jason Calandrillo, Hallel Calandrillo, Blaise Calandrillo, Brooke Calandrillo and daughter-in-law Daysi Calandrillo, nine great grandchildren; Ashton, Stephen, Micah, Nyssa, Anna Rose, Michael, Hazel, Malcolm, Juniper, one more “on the way” and many, many very close family friends.  Rosemary was predeceased by her husband Harry Calandrillo (1985), by her three brothers; Bernard Redmond, Robert Redmond, and Lawrence Redmond, and by her sister Gertrude DeMeo.

‍

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rosemary’s name may be made to Calvary Temple International Kingdom Builders 1111Preakness Ave, Wayne, NJ 07470.