“And though she be but little, she is fierce.”
―Shakespeare

Rosemary (Coppolo) Rispole—June 3, 1933 – May 20, 2017

Rosemary Rispole took life by the horns and proved she could handle anything it threw her way. She was the epitome of a strong woman and stubborn to the very end. An inspiration to her children, family and friends, Rosemary was loyal to a fault, passionate about her beliefs, and had a competitive spirit that helped her rise above any setback. But, above all, she was beloved and continuously relied upon for support—as daughter, wife, mother, sister, niece, aunt and friend.

Rosemary endured a lengthy illness, fought bravely, but finally came to eternal rest on Saturday, May 20 surrounded by her loving husband of 65 years, Joseph R. Rispole and their children.

A member of the Mont Pleasant High School graduating class of 1951, Rosemary (or Ro as husband Joe often called her) was best remembered for being involved in numerous school clubs, her devotion to her church and her love of dancing.

Rosemary dedicated her life to her husband, Joe and their four children, Deborah, Michelle, Mary Jo and Joseph; and to the two family businesses started with Joe: Rispole’s DeliRama which opened on Hamburg Street in Rotterdam in the fall of 1962; and The Road Runner which opened in the spring of 1979 on State Street in Schenectady, then expanded to Burnt Hills in 1980 and Rotterdam in 1982.

Being a full-time working mom never deterred Rosemary from her volunteerism. She was a communicant of Schenectady’s Saint Paul the Apostle Church, a member of its Rosary Society and became a Eucharistic Minister. She was often on a committee to assist in St. Paul’s fund raising efforts, and tirelessly stepped up to participate with her children in their schools or clubs. After opening the Road Runner, you would often see Rosemary organizing road races or participating as a runner.

Rosemary was an avid cook and loved to entertain. Friends and family were frequently the recipients of her gracious hospitality and lovely meals.

When she and Joe retired to Indialantic, Florida, Rosemary didn’t really retire. She learned to use a computer, continued running for sport, worked part-time and helped at her new parish, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. She made numerous, lifelong friends and continued to cook and entertain. Rosemary sustained her work as a Eucharistic Minister and eventually became the Eucharistic Minister’s Administrator until she was no longer mobile.

Rosemary is survived by: her husband, Joseph R. Rispole; her four children and their spouses, Deborah Lee and Peter J. Testa, Michelle Marie and Matthew Chivian, Mary Jo and John Leck and Joseph Patrick and Michelle (Dalby) Rispole; her six grandchildren (and spouses), Daniella Marie (Testa) and Antonio Sgueglia, Peter Angelo and Mary Ellen (Ruiz) Testa, Marissa Testa, Andrew Leck, Anthony Rispole and Alessandra Rispole; her five great-grandchildren, Sabine and Pellegrino Testa, and Marco, Francesco and Matteo Sgueglia; her sisters-in-law Faye F. Rispoli, Clara Coppolo, Faith Coppolo and Mavis Coppolo; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. She is pre-deceased by her: parents, John and Laura (DeLap) Coppolo; and brothers John Coppolo and Frank (Pete) Coppolo.

Visitation will be Wednesday, May 24 from 10:30-11:30 followed by a memorial mass  at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, 3050 N. Highway A1A, Indialantic, FL  and interment will be in the Holy Name of Jesus Memorial Gardens. Family and friends are invited for light refreshments immediately following Mass.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. To donate, please visit http://support.pdf.org/ and select, “Make a Gift in Memory.” Or, if you prefer you may mail your donation to Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.