Rose Marie DiStefano, 83, died Nov. 14, 2003 at an Arlington, TX, hospital. Rose was a retired Sears employee and religious educator. She was born Rose Marie Aversano in Naples, Italy, on July 23, 1920, and emigrated to the US with her family in 1922. She was raised and educated in NYC. She married Angelo DiStefano on Dec. 16, 1945. She lived in Hicksville for 50 years. She worked for various department stores and retired after working for Sears for 15 years.

Her first love was children and her church. She taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine at St. Ignatius Loyola RC Church for 40 years. She moved to Arlington in May 2003 to spend her final days with her family. She was preceded in death by her husband Angelo in 1978 and her grandson Matthew.

She is survived by her son, Dr. Alfred DeStefano (Laura) of Ft. Worth; grandchildren, Amy, Lauren and Michael of Ft. Worth and Michelle of Redmond, WA; sisters, Amalia Maffei (Henry) of Florida, Ann Liverzani of Florida; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins throughout the country; her lifelong friends in Hicksville; and many friends throughout the world.

The family was cared for by the Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, Hicksville Chapel. Memorials may be made to St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Hicksville, the Cancer Research Foundation of N. Texas, Arlington, TX, or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.