Mary Pusateri Rocca

Mary Rocca IOWA CITY, Iowa - Mary Pusateri Rocca, 99, of Iowa City, died peacefully, surrounded by her family, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003 at Mercy Hospital following a short illness. Services are 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 1, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. The Rev. Ken Kuntz will officiate. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation is 3-7:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30 at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service. The Catholic Daughters of America will recite a rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish vigil service will be held at 6:30 p.m. A luncheon at the parish hall will follow committal services. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Catholic Community Foundation or the Congregation of Humility of Mary, Davenport. Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com. Mrs. Rocca was born July 25,1904 in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Geraci Pusateri. She married Peter A. Rocca at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City June 24, 1926. They celebrated 58 years of marriage. He died in 1984. Her parents were of Italian descent and moved from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City. They ran a fruit market i...[more]

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owntown Iowa City. At that time many children, including Rocca and her brother Gus, were raised in the downtown area. She was the last surviving child of those children raised downtown. She stayed at home to raise her children and later was a pastry baker at St. Mary's and Horace Mann School. She enjoyed baking, especially pizza and sweet rolls, gardening, sewing, puzzles and playing the piano. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, who was deeply religious and prayerful. She was a member of St. Mary's Church, the Altar and Rosary, a 75-year member of Catholic Daughters of America and the NAIM Club. Survivors include her children, 24 grandchildren and 51 great grandchildren; Edward Rocca and wife, Linda of Muscatine and their daughters Mary and Tina; Phil Rocca and his wife Shirley of Iowa City and their sons Andy, Gerry and Phil; Sister Mary Rocca CHM of Iowa City; Mike Rocca and wife Beryl of Rochester and their daughters Michelle and Stephanie; Jim Rocca and wife Mary Jo of Ellisville, Mo. and their sons Jon, Steve and Doug; Loretta Clark and husband Jim of Iowa City and their children Margret, Angela, Bryan, Jeff and Joe and two daughter-in-laws, Trudy Rocca and Joe of Rochester, Minn. and their children David, Craig, Lisa, Darcy, Kevin and Denice and Ellen Rocca and John of Lone Tree and their children Dawn, Matt and Liz. She was preceded in death by her husband; one daughter, Josephine; two sons, Joe and John; a great granddaughter, Mary Ellen; and her brother Gus Pusateri.