Rose (Barbro) Difranco

Visalia, CA - On Saturday, October 12, at 9:10pm Rose Marie (Barbro) DiFranco, mother of two daughters, passed away peacefully at the age of 88. Rose was born on November 23, 1930 in Scotia, New York to parents Steven and Mary Barbro. She grew up in Schenectady with four siblings: Ann, Teresa, Stephen, and Thomas. She married, lived, and raised her two daughters in Schenectady. With too many years spent in the cold winters of Schenectady, she decided to become a permanent snowbird and move she and her daughters to Florida. Rose went back to school and earned her high school diploma, bought a home in Jupiter, Florida, and worked as a teacher’s assistant at Jerry Thomas Elementary School where she made many lifelong friends. She retired 28 years later at the age of 78. She was an avid walker and especially loved to walk the sands of Jupiter beach. She was highly active in her church and an advocate in her community. She lived the simple life, only purchasing her most basic material needs always willing to give her last dime to anyone who needed it more than she did. She was well known for her feisty spirit and strong will. Rose was proceeded in death by her father Steven, her mother Mary, her sister Ann, and her long-time friend and companion Robert Haman. Rose is survived by her two daughters Deborah Ann (Giammatteo) Stockhammer -Florida and Mary Alberta (DiFranco) Bremner -California, her two brothers Stephen and Thomas Barbro -New York and sister Teresa DiCocco -Florida, her four grandchildren Chrissie Marie, Kenneth, Mark, Coleen Rose, and seven great grandchildren along with nieces and nephews. A Catholic prayer service will be held at 12pm on Friday, November 8th, 2019 at DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 1605 Helderberg Ave, Rotterdam, NY 12306. There will be a viewing for family and close friends from 11a-12p, prior to the prayer service. Rose will be laid to rest at Saint Anthony’s Cemetery, 27 Glenridge Rd, Schenectady, NY 12302.