WAKEFIELD — Rosemarie C. “Rosie” (Evangelista) Foley, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, died on January 24 at the age of 96. She was born in Wakefield on October 28, 1927 to Lorenzo and Christina (Moreno) Evangelista. Rosie was raised in Wakefield and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1945. It was there that she met her husband, the late John F. Foley. The long and short of the story is that they became an inseparable couple who were married for nearly 47 years before John’s passing. She lived in Wakefield her entire life and she and John raised their three sons there.
Rosie worked as a telephone operator for New England Telephone for 15 years and as a switchboard operator for Melrose-Wakefield Hospital for 20 years. Rosie was a long-time member of the Wakefield Lodge of the Sons of Italy. After retirement, she spent many years working at the Wakefield polls during election season. She had a vibrant personality and seemed to know just about everyone in town.
Rosie loved spending time with family and will be greatly missed by her sons and their wives Jack and Kathy of Dennis Port; Kevin and Erica of Charlton; and Michael and Jennifer of Wakefield. She was the adoring “Grammy” to her grandchildren Kyle; Lindsay and her husband Glen; Courtney; Erik and his wife Emily; Colin; Mia Rose; Mackenzie and Shamus; and great-granddaughter, Isla. Her grandchildren and Isla were her great joy. She was always excited to attend their school events, musical and theater performances and sports games with her famous cowbell in hand.
Rose also leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews and their families and her sister-in-law, Gail Evangelista. She was predeceased by her sister Florence Bisso and her husband Joseph; and her brothers Angelo and his wife Sandy; Ernest “EJ” and his wife Barbara; and Robert.
Rose and John relished the times spent with her extended family, especially her many cousins in Wakefield, Malden, Springfield and beyond. She was also an avid sports fan and loved watching the Bruins, Red Sox and Patriots games.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, January 29 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose. Funeral procession from the Gately Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 30 at 8:45 a.m. followed by a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at the Lazarus Center for Healing Shrine, formerly St. Florence Church, 47 Butler Ave., Wakefield. Interment to follow the mass at Saint Patrick Cemetery, 120 Elm St., Stoneham. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Rosie’s memory to the American Heart Association, the Brain Cancer Society or The Scholarship Foundation of Wakefield. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit gatelyfh.com.