Rosemary Long

Our dear mother, Rosemary Long died peacefully on Friday, July 5 at Avanti Senior Living Memory Care in The Woodlands, Texas. She was 96 years old. Rosemary was born in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania to Aurelio Vaccani and Catherine (Balduzzi) Vaccani. In 1940, the family moved to Massillon, Ohio where Rosemary attended Loren Andrews Junior High and graduated from Washington High School. She married Dominic A. Dottavio in 1948. They had three children Renee York, Maryanne Evans and Floyd Dominic Dottavio. She worked at the Hoover Sweeper Company for 24 years where she met and eventually married Joe Long.

Rosemary was raised in a close-knit Italian family, where loyalty, family gatherings, tradition, and affection for multiple generations abounded. When her mother passed away from cancer in 1952, young Rosemary not only cared for her three toddlers but also for her father and younger brothers Nello, Frank, and Ernie.

Rosemary was known for being devoted to her family. Christmas gatherings and wedding receptions would not be complete without her delectable cookies, handcrafted decorations, and meticulous attention to detail. Rosemary loved to work in her flower garden, play cards with neighbors, meet friends for breakfast every morning, attend the Massillon summer concert series, and travel the country. However, her real passion was spending time with family.

Her grandchildren knew “Granny” or “Gramma” as a friendly, understanding, helpful, and fun-loving person. Spending a week with her in the summer was a treat. She made sure they all felt special, and she worked hard to impart her love for Massillon Tiger and Ohio State Football to each of them.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, Aurelio and Catherine Vaccani, her brothers Nello Vaccani and Ernest Vaccani, her first husband, Dominic Arnold Dottavio, her second husband, Joe Long, and two stepchildren, Jim Long and Joanne Gravley. She is survived by her three children, brother Frank Vaccani, numerous grand and great grandchildren, and a great great granddaughter.

Visitation will be held on Friday, July 26, 2024 from 12:00pm-1:00pm at the Paquelet Funeral Home, Massillon with a memorial service to start at 1:00pm, Fr. Thomas Bishop officiating. Inurnment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.

Messages of condolence and support may be sent to the family at www.paquelet.com