Bob CollinsRosalie Vascellaro’s and Doris Rosen’s ongoing bit on WCCO a few years ago was the sort of thing that made you want to call your mom.
Rosalie, the mother of anchor Frank Vascellaro, and Doris, sports icon Mark Rosen’s mom, were about as delightful as local TV is capable of getting while covering popular culture.
They won a regional Emmy for “The Grannies,” videos of which are nearly impossible to find on the internet (the Strib has some from a CJ interview and an interview with Doris here).
Doris died in September 2013. Rosalie died Saturday after a brief illness, the Star Tribune reports. She was 94.
Frank Vascellaro's mother, Rosalie, who was known affectionately as "Mama V.," died over the weekend at the age of 94.
Posted by WCCO-TV | CBS Minnesota on Monday, June 25, 2018
Here’s Rosalie’s obituary:
Rosalie Marie Vascellaro personified grace, charm, and kindness. She passed away June 23, 2018 at the age of 94 following a very brief illness.
Rosalie was the middle child of six who grew up in Rockford, Illinois. She moved to Denver, Colorado at age 44 with her husband, Sam. She was a wonderful mother and homemaker and worked for 25 Years as a teachers aid at Holm Elementary School. Following Sam’s death in 1989 she eventually moved to Edina, Minnesota. Rosalie volunteered at Fairview Southdale hospital for 10 years. She was also an active member of Christ the King parish in Minneapolis.
However, her most important role in Minnesota was helping to raise her grandchildren Sam, Joe, and Francesca. For 15 years she made meals, attended their school functions and sporting events and experienced the joy of being involved in their lives. She was a rock for her son, Frank, and daughter in law, Amelia, being a constant presence in their children’s lives. She played the same loving and supporting role for her daughter Angela when her children, Angela and Andrea, were growing up in Denver.
Minnesotans grew to know Rosalie, and her fabulous recipes, because of her cooking segments on WCCO TV. Frequently, strangers would approach her to tell her they made spaghetti sauce from her recipe. It would bring a smile from ear to ear knowing she made someone else happy.
Rosalie was also awarded a regional Emmy Award for a segment WCCO called “The Grannies”. She and her dear friend Doris Rosen were recognized for their humor and charm. Rosalie’s greatest joy was her family. We were all blessed with the love she constantly showered on us. She was exceedingly kind and always willing to help others in any way possible. She was extraordinarily proud of her children, grandchildren, and extended family. Friends, neighbors, and relatives would marvel that Rosalie would remember the birth dates, anniversaries and milestone moments in the lives of so many people.
She loved living a life of service to others.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Sam, parents Sam and Mary Cerniglia, sister Angela, brothers Jack and Joe and many other relatives and friends. Survived by daughter Angela (Roger Eyster), son Frank (Amelia Santaniello), grandchildren Angela, Andrea, Sam, Joe, Francesca, and great-grandchildren Alexandra, Christopher, and Gustin, brother Paul and sister Frances. A memorial celebration of life is Thursday June 28 at the Edina Country Club from 4:30-7:30. Funeral services will be held July 13, 2018 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Rockford, Illinois. Visitation at 10 with mass at 11. Memorials preferred to Carondelet Catholic School through carondeletcatholicschoolssl.webaloo.com/… or St Judes Children’s Hospital through stjude.org/donate/… Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996
