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Rose DeChristefero 1922-2020

NILES — Rose “Tootsie” DeChristefero, 98, of Niles, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020.

She was born Jan. 27, 1922, daughter of Steve and Jennie Mariola.

She married her late husband, James “Fatty” DeChristefero, on May 10, 1941.

Rose graduated from Niles McKinley High School in 1939. Not having the means to continue on to college, she immediately entered the workforce. She worked a secretarial job at Republic Steel and then worked various jobs in factories supplying the World War II effort. After the war, Rose started a family and was a homemaker until her youngest started school. Rose was a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Niles. During her homemaker years, she was a seamstress and did volunteer work for her church and school. She served on many different parish committees from the Little Flower Club to the Catholic Women’s Guild, holding many different offices.

Rose love to write plays, poems, and monologues. She performed her skits at many church functions and later in life wrote many of the plays and skits for the Senior Citizen SCOPE Center. Rose was also a member of the Niles White House Ladies Group diplaying her seamstress talents, making the Inaugural Gown of President Andrew Jackson’s daughter-in-law.

Rose helped organize a “Living Room Dialogue Group” which came about after the Ecumenical Council. This group met once a month involving representatives from many area churches. She was an early member of the Niles Beautification Committee and also a member of the Niles Task Force. The Niles Task Force was responsible for getting the first juvenile officer in Niles, building the playground at Murphy Park, and starting a Teen Center in the downtown area. In 1970, at age 50, Rose was hired at General Motors in Lordstown. She worked 15 yeas in the personnel department and was able to get jobs for many people in Niles and surrounding areas. Rose cherished celebrating the holidays and sharing special traditions with her family.

Rose will be deeply missed by her sister Angie Bell, her children Joseph (Dianna) DeChristefero, Judee DeChristefero March, and James (Barb Switzer) DeChristefero; her grandchildren Jason DeChristefero, Shane DeChristefero, Jennifer (Ben) Heflick, Abbey (Chris) Chieffo, Alyson (Chris Wilcox) DeChristefero, Alyse March, and Natalie (Jon Bragger) March; her great-grandson Hudson Mackie; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The DeChristefero family would like to thank all the employees responsible for her care at Shepherd of the Valley in Niles and Liberty HealthCare (Windsor House). These healthcare workers are truly caring, compassionate, and deserving of praise especially during this trying time.

Private services were entrusted to Holloway Williams Funeral Home.

Family and friends can visit www.hollowaywilliamsfuneralhome.com to view this obituary and send condolences to the DeChristefero family.

(special notice)