Rosemarie (Cleary) Patrone, 87, of West Chester, died Friday, March 20, at Chester County Hospital in West Chester. Born on Easter Sunday in 1938 in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late John Cleary and the late Rose (McDevitt) Cleary. She was the wife of her beloved husband, the late Phillip Patrone, for 64 years.
Rosemarie is survived by her son, Michael Patrone, Michael’s wife, Jun, and his daughters, Riley (Ryan) and Leah (Jeremy) Jennings; her son, Phillip Patrone, his wife, Michelle (Chronister), and their two sons, Sam (Allie) and Alex. In addition to her husband, she is predeceased by her siblings, John “Jack” Cleary and Helen Powell.
After meeting at a Holy Cross dance, it became clear that Rosemarie and Phil were made for each other. They complemented one another throughout their lives, and they enjoyed going out to dinner, traveling, and always looking their best. Phil cared for Rosemarie deeply.
Rosemarie was a devoted mother and grandmother and loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. With her husband, she faithfully attended sporting events for her sons and then her grandchildren, supporting them in their activities.
Family gatherings were a big part of Rosemarie’s life, and of all the holidays, Easter was by far her favorite. Hosting the meal and Easter egg hunts for her grandchildren gave her tremendous joy. She also enjoyed spending time with her many cousins, extended family, and friends.
Rosemarie will be remembered for her love of the beach, especially Ocean City, New Jersey, for her infectious laugh, her warm smile, her devout Catholic beliefs, and for her pride and interest in her Irish heritage. She will also be remembered for her deep love of her family.
You are invited to visit with Rosemarie’s family and friends from 10 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, at Saint Agnes Catholic Church, 233 W. Gay St., West Chester, PA 19380. Her Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11. Interment will follow at Birmingham Lafayette Cemetery, 1235 Birmingham Rd., West Chester, PA 19382.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Rosemarie’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org
Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. To view Rosemarie’s online tribute, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
