Rosemary Ferrero (Kennedy) died peacefully in her sleep on October 2, 2021 at her home in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey, surrounded by her loving family. She was six days shy of her 95th birthday, Rosemary was born October 8, 1926 in Harrison, New Jersey, the daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Kennedy. Her father, Daniel, a pipefitter, emigrated as a young man from County Kerry, Ireland, rented a room on 4th Street in Harrison and fell in love with and married Elizabeth, the pretty daughter of his landlord. Daniel and Elizabeth gave birth to Rosemary, the eldest, Daniel (deceased) and Walter, Attorney for the Town of Harrison (deceased). Rosemary attended Holy Cross Elementary School and graduated from Good Counsel High School in Newark, NJ, where she achieved not only academic excellence but also was awarded the honor of Captain of the Cheering Squad. After high school, she graduated from Berkeley Secretarial School.
Upon graduation, Rosemary became a career woman, jumping on the PATH train into New York City and diving into her job as an executive assistant in the theater district. Sardi’s was her favorite lunch joint. Fiercely smart and fiercely independent and fiercely ahead of her time, she never stopped working. She worked in the executive field from the age of twenty-two until her retirement at age sixty-four. The pinnacle of her career was as the executive assistant to the head partners of Hannoch, Weisman, Stern and Besser Law Firm in Newark. Rosemary and Peter were married on September 18, 1948 until his untimely death on December 7, 1994. Rosemary continued on in life as an independent single woman, living alone in Manchester, NJ never even considering replacing the love of her life.
Rosemary’s sparkling intellect was evident in her sparkling blue eyes. Although she would never admit it, she was always the smartest person in the room. An avid reader, she would devour several books a week and was seen as a constant patron of the local library. She also had a remarkable gift for writing. Her children always loved receiving her loving, handwritten notes. Rosemary was an extraordinary intellect and career woman.
Rosemary’s passion for learning and education linger on to this day, as all her children are thriving in this world due to the enriched environment she created in the childhood home. Surviving are: son Peter and his daughter, Julia; son Robert, his wife Karen and their daughters Dana Farley and her husband, Thomas; Lyndsey McQuillen and her husband Sean, and Caitlin Ferrero and her partner Max Karp; daughter Maureen Grenevich Storer, her husband JR Storer and her sons Peter and Frank Grenevich; daughter Elizabeth Ferrero.
Rosemary was also blessed with three great grandsons: Ryan, Owen and Cooper.
Rosemary’s family is heartbroken at the loss of their lovely Irish matriarch. Her poem “I’m Still Me” resides in all their hearts forever, as does everything about her.
But I’m still me inside. My hair has turned gray, I don’t move the same way, and I can’t eat anything fried, My hearing has failed, But I’m still me inside. I can’t drive at night, with my poor eyesight, and though I am vain, I must walk with a cane, But I’m still me inside. I can’t go dancing, it’s just a matter of pride, a little more wrinkling, A little more “tinkling”, But I’m still me inside. I don’t remember names, I forget my favorite games, but I don’t want your pity, ‘Cause I’m no longer pretty, just remember I’m still me inside.- Rosemary Kennedy Ferrero
Services will be conducted at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr. Kearny on Wednesday, October 6, between 9:30am and 12:30pm, with a funeral service celebrated at 12:30pm. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
