Rose Marie Delong

Rose M. DeLong, nee Morabito age 86, passed away on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at The Laurels of Massillon following a period of declining health. She was born on January 12, 1923 in Conifer, Beaver County, PA to Italian émigré parents. Her father, Bruno, was a coal miner in Conifer, a city that no longer exists, until he developed a paralyzing disease from mine work. After several years, he recovered and the family moved to the West side of Massillon living on Bebb Ave. Bruno worked until retirement at Republic Steel. Although Rose was not even 5 feet tall, she was known as a tom boy who could hit a baseball harder than anyone else. Other girls feared fielding her balls. She often played ball at The Bottoms and Oak Knoll Park. She graduated in 1941 from Washington High School. During WWII, she worked at Eaton Mfg. along with many other young ladies making military parts for the war effort. Although pay was good, the country was at war and there was a shortage of nurses. Rose had an interest in the medical field, just like her one brother, Joe, who later became a doctor. Congresswoman Frances Bolton of Ohio sponsored the Bolton Act that created the Cadet Nurses Corps in 1943. During its three years of existence, the program provided for a great number of nurses on the domestic front because of the war shortage of nurses. Rose enrolled in the program in January, 1945 at what was then known as Massillon City Hospital, graduating in the class of 1948 with a nursing degree. Upon graduation, she worked through the 1950s and into the 1960s as the industrial nurse at Republic Steel. She married her fellow high school classmate, Jim, in June, 1957 who at the time was a local attorney and personnel manager at Massillon City Hospital. After raising two boys, she returned to work as a nurse at Indian River Correctional Facility until retiring in the late 1980’s. Rose was active in her Catholic faith. While growing up, she was a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Massillon. Once married, she became a member of St. Mary’s Church in Massillon. She was involved in a number of church activities and societies and was a catechism organizer and teacher. Her hobbies included golf, tennis, cards, and home decorating. She was a simple, selfless woman who made innumerable and indescribable sacrifices for her family. She also was one to come to the immediate aid of her family and friends when they were sick, proving medical advise and treatment, and even riding with sick friends in the ambulance to the hospital. In addition to her parents, Bruno and Antonia, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Sr, sisters Consuela (Katie), Fortunate (Tea), Mary, and brothers, Danny, Joe, and Frankie. Rose leaves behind her two sons, James Jr. and David, grandson, Dillon, all of Massillon and brother, Johnny Morabito, of North Canton, Ohio. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, January 27, 2009 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Massillon with interment following at Calvary Cemetery in Perry Twp. Fr. Thomas Cebula will be celebrating. Friends may call at the Paquelet Funeral Home in Massillon on Thursday from 6-8 P.M. The family would like to thank and recognize all the dedicated health care workers at Affinity Medical Ctr., Aultman Hospital, and The Laurels for the care provided to Rose over the last months of her life. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s or St. Barbara’s Churches in Massillon. Messages of sympathy and support may be sent to the family at www.paquelet.com Paquelet Funeral Home A Golden Rule Funeral Home (330) 833-3222