Obituary
Rose Marie Ferraro Ford
Our “sweet and lovable” mother, Rose Marie Ferraro Ford, a devout Catholic, passed away on
January 11, 2018 at the age of 97. Rose was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Edward
Ford, her infant daughter, Rosemarie, and her brother, Joseph Ferraro.
Rose was born on October 17, 1920 in Lagonegro, Italy, to Biase and Filomena Ferraro. The
tale of her crossing the Atlantic, helping to hide a stowaway, and entering the United States
through Ellis Island is detailed in her first book, “Stories My Mother Told Me”. Rose graduated
third in her class at Union Endicott High School, and in her fifties, earned an Associates
Degree from Daytona Beach Community College with straight A’s and was inducted into Phi
Theta Kappa.
Rose’s children, Edward Ford (Mary Ann), Kathleen Bowrosen (Richard), Mary Cichy
(Raymond), Francis Ford, Jeannette Ford, and Barbara Koch (Warren), 15 grand children and
26 great grand children and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends mourn her loss and
celebrate her long life.
Rose taught Sunday School at St. Paul’s Church for a number of years and together with her
husband, volunteered in a Prison Ministry and generously sponsored both a Vietnamese
refugee family and a promising young Chinese student who emigrated to the USA and
successfully realized the American Dream. She especially loved her work teaching adults to
read through the Volusia Literacy Council.
Rose remained independent, drove well into her eighties, was active in her church, and
travelled to Mexico, Japan, Russia, Peru, Portugal, China, Thailand, Singapore, and Australia.
Rose was a regular at the Port Orange YMCA water aerobics classes.
A memorial Mass for Rose will be celebrated at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, January 30th, 2018, at
Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, 4675 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Port Orange, FL. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to the Volusia County Literacy Council, 826 White St.,
Daytona Beach, FL 32117.
Service
Port Orange
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