Rose Marie Smith (nee Mirenda)

Born January 21, 1931, Rose passed from this life to the next on August 30, 2024, at the age of 93.

The first child of a Sicilian immigrant father and a second-generation Sicilian mother, she was fiercely proud of her heritage and had strong emotional ties to the Italian-American community of Milwaukee’s east side.

To help her family through difficult economic times, Rose left school at age 16 to go to work. Nevertheless, she remained a lifelong learner and advocate for education, receiving an honorary diploma in 2022.

In 1952, she met Wayne Smith, when she dared to go dancing alone one night at the Eagles’ Ballroom. Only one week later, he shipped out to bootcamp and then Korea. They conducted an epistolary romance, culminating in their marriage on November 27, 1954. That marriage led to a daughter, Jan, and a son, John.

In addition to being a loving mother, she also worked several jobs. Rose helped customers at Glorioso’s Italian Market on Brady Street, and later at the store of her brother-in-law, Eddie Glorioso, on Pleasant Street, which kept her connected to the community she loved.

Rose was creative and fun-loving, an excellent and adventuresome cook, a loyal sister, a dutiful daughter, and happy, loving wife. But later in life, she also became a volunteer, a writer, and, after nearly seventy-five years, at long last, a proud Shorewood High School graduate.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Sarah Mirenda; her sister, Joanne (Glorioso); and her brother, Joseph. Rose is survived by her husband of nearly 70 years, Wayne; a daughter, Jan Smith (Scott Valitchka); a son, John (Karen Rasmussen); a grandson, Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek (Cara); two great-grandchildren, Cameron and Clark; a sister, Marie (Breitbach); and, a brother, John (Kris).

Funeral services and a celebration of Rose’s life will be held on September 27, 2024, at St. Rita’s Church, 1617 N. Cass Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. The visitation is from 10:00-11:00 with mass at 11:00.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributing to one of Rose’s favorite charities in her name. Rose was faithful to the Miraculous Medal Association in Perryville, MO; supporting women and children as victims of domestic violence (Sojourner Truth House, Milwaukee); the American Heart Association; and the Alzheimer’s Association.