Rose Wilson

Rose Elizabeth Castellano was born February 6th, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois to Dominic and Dionesia (Paola) Castellano. She was one of three girls, Rose being the middle daughter. Rose was fluent in Italian and helped her mother gain US citizenship. Rose lost her dear mother at the young age of 17 when she met and married the love of her life, Joseph W. Wilson. Rose raised a total of eight children, the first being her younger sister Viola. She then had six children of her own: Joe Jr, Linda, Cynthia, Scott, Jennifer and April before being blessed with adopting and raising her eighth child Sophia.

Rose, Joe and family moved from Chicago to Rochester, Minnesota where they owned and operated a KOA (Campgrounds of America) for seven years before moving back to Joe's home state of NC. During this time, Rose worked as a switchboard operator at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN and then Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC. She was quite often complimented on her beautiful speaking voice. Rose then went back to school to become a CNA. After this achievement, she returned to her most familiar job, being a mother, to her newly adopted daughter Sophia.

Rose enjoyed baking as can be attested to by the many cookbooks that still fill the bookcases and making crafts with her children, from latch hook rug kits to cross stitch to attending classes together such as making macrame plant hangers and candy making. A special memory of making sequined Christmas ornaments and choosing recipes out of the Bon Appetit recipe box to prepare together will forever be cherished. Rose also loved house plants, one of her favorites being African violets. The home was often filled with lush greenery thanks to her two green thumbs. Rose had a sharp mind and could often be found solving the daily Jumble and crossword puzzle.

On Tuesday December 27th 2022 Rose passed away peacefully in her sleep at home surrounded by loved ones.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Philomena "Minnie" (Castellano) Diomede. She leaves behind her loving husband Joseph to whom she was married for almost 70 years, her sister Viola (Castellano) Fischer; her children Joseph A Wilson, Linda (Wilson) Mullican, Jeff and Cynthia (Wilson), Scott Wilson, Littmath, Jennifer (Wilson) Maldanado, April Wilson and Sami and Sophia (Wilson) Naseem; her grandchildren Joey Mills, Jimmy Oaks, Jennifer Oaks, Olivia (Oaks) Allen, Christopher Melendez and Emily Maldanado; and numerous great-grandchildren.

We love and miss you Rose/ Mom. Though our world has dimmed here on earth, the heavens just got a little bit brighter.

Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 3, 2023 from 11:00am to 12:00pm at St. Raphael the Archangel, 5801 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh, NC 27609.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to First Cremation Society of Louisburg.

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