Obituary for Stella Theresa Rocca (Colavito)
STELLA THERESA ROCCA - APRIL 29, 1930 - OCTOBER 19, 2021
Stella Theresa Rocca (nee Colavito) of Exton, PA (formerly of West Orange, NJ and Roseland, NJ) passed away peacefully at Paoli Medical Center, Paoli, PA surrounded by her loving family on October 19, at the age of 91. Stella was an amazing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend who touched the lives of so many with her signature gift of joy. Her smile, laughter, and true appreciation for the simple things in life will never be forgotten.
Even when facing significant health challenges over the past 8 years, she taught all of us by her example to focus our thought and energy on the beautiful, positive blessings in our lives…especially family. She never wavered in her strong Christian faith - steadfast and longsuffering - proclaiming Proverbs 4:22 “Pay attention to God’s words…keep them within your heart for they are life to those who find them and health to man’s whole body”.
Stella was born on April 29, 1930 in East Orange, NJ, but the family moved shortly after her birth to Tremont and Valley Streets in Orange. Her father was an iceman, a coal man and later a paving contractor; her mother worked as a seamstress. Life was hard and money was tight, but despite the harshness of the Great Depression, Stella’s family did not want for anything as grandpa Nick “powered through” the 1930s. Stella’s early life was full of many adventures, especially weekend trips to the Jersey shore. One of her greatest childhood memories (and one that she relished for the remainder of her life) was a 3-month long summer of 1939 adventure when she worked in the circus with relatives (the famous Canestrelli circus family) at Atlantic City’s Million Dollar Pier. It was an amazing wonder world where young Stella bottle-fed lion cubs with famed animal trainer Clyde Beatty, watched daily the “diving horse and rider jump off a 40 foot tower into the ocean and learned to perform on the rolla-rolla and other acrobatics acts.
Stella returned to typical life back in Orange where she excelled academically, became a straight “A” student, and later graduated from Orange High School.
It was not at the circus or in high school, but on a blind date where Stella met the love of her life, Tommy Rocca from Canarsie, Brooklyn. Tom and Stella were married in 1952, settled in Orange, close to Stella’s family, and then subsequently moved to West Orange in 1964.
Stella was a devoted Christian, and a voracious reader of not just the Bible, but of all books relating to Christian Prayer Life. Stella and then Tom became “born again” and attended the Full Gospel Church in Livingston NJ. It was there that Stella began her quest for Spiritual “nourishment” - by devouring God’s word.
After Tom’s passing, Stella moved to Exton Pennsylvania, to be closer to her daughter’s family who resided there. Now in a new place at age 78, Stella again set out to begin anew and make new friends. She attended classes at nearby Widener University and found a church home at nearby Calvary Fellowship Church. She was an active member of the “Ventures” over 60 group, as well as women’s Bible study classes. She loved meeting new people each and every day. They brought such joy to her. Little did she realize just how much joy she brought into each of their lives as well.
She treasured the frequent visits with her daughter, sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren and reveled in their accomplishments. She prayed every evening before bed in her “prayer corner” not just for the health and successes of her family, but for friends, neighbors and her beloved America, which she truly loved.
In addition to family and church activities, her favorite pastimes included watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and reruns of “Monk”. She also catered to her one addiction…her love of all things chocolate!
Stella was predeceased by her beloved husband, Thomas J. Rocca, her parents, Nicola Colavito and Vita Marie Colavito (nee Liantonio), her brother Thomas Colavito and son-in-law Douglas Anderson. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Vincent and Mary Ann Rocca of Toms River, NJ; her son Nicholas of Woodland Hills, California; her son and daughter-in-law Thomas (Tim) and Denise Rocca of Toms River, NJ; and by her daughter and son-in-law Kathy and Matthew Mallek of Exton, PA; as well as by her six grandchildren, David and Thomas Rocca, Michael Rocca and Jenna Rocca Castano (wife of Louis Castano) and Nicholas and Brian Mallek. In addition, she is survived by three great-grand children: Ava Stella Rocca, and Louis and Matteo Castano. She also is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Antoinette and Jack Gormley of Manchester, NJ and sister-in-law Vivian Colavito of West Orange.
Friends and relatives may gather on Friday, October 22 from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Shook-Farmer Funeral Home, 45 Roseland Ave., Roseland, NJ. A mass of Catholic burial will be offered on Saturday, October 23 at 11:15 A.M at St. Rose of Lima Church, 312 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover, NJ. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover NJ.
For further information or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.shookfarmer.com.
Stella Theresa Rocca (nee Colavito) of Exton, PA (formerly of West Orange, NJ and Roseland, NJ) passed away peacefully at Paoli Medical Center, Paoli, PA surrounded by her loving family on October 19, at the age of 91. Stella was an amazing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend who touched the lives of so many with her signature gift of joy. Her smile, laughter, and true appreciation for the simple things in life will never be forgotten.
Even when facing significant health challenges over the past 8 years, she taught all of us by her example to focus our thought and energy on the beautiful, positive blessings in our lives…especially family. She never wavered in her strong Christian faith - steadfast and longsuffering - proclaiming Proverbs 4:22 “Pay attention to God’s words…keep them within your heart for they are life to those who find them and health to man’s whole body”.
Stella was born on April 29, 1930 in East Orange, NJ, but the family moved shortly after her birth to Tremont and Valley Streets in Orange. Her father was an iceman, a coal man and later a paving contractor; her mother worked as a seamstress. Life was hard and money was tight, but despite the harshness of the Great Depression, Stella’s family did not want for anything as grandpa Nick “powered through” the 1930s. Stella’s early life was full of many adventures, especially weekend trips to the Jersey shore. One of her greatest childhood memories (and one that she relished for the remainder of her life) was a 3-month long summer of 1939 adventure when she worked in the circus with relatives (the famous Canestrelli circus family) at Atlantic City’s Million Dollar Pier. It was an amazing wonder world where young Stella bottle-fed lion cubs with famed animal trainer Clyde Beatty, watched daily the “diving horse and rider jump off a 40 foot tower into the ocean and learned to perform on the rolla-rolla and other acrobatics acts.
Stella returned to typical life back in Orange where she excelled academically, became a straight “A” student, and later graduated from Orange High School.
It was not at the circus or in high school, but on a blind date where Stella met the love of her life, Tommy Rocca from Canarsie, Brooklyn. Tom and Stella were married in 1952, settled in Orange, close to Stella’s family, and then subsequently moved to West Orange in 1964.
Stella was a devoted Christian, and a voracious reader of not just the Bible, but of all books relating to Christian Prayer Life. Stella and then Tom became “born again” and attended the Full Gospel Church in Livingston NJ. It was there that Stella began her quest for Spiritual “nourishment” - by devouring God’s word.
After Tom’s passing, Stella moved to Exton Pennsylvania, to be closer to her daughter’s family who resided there. Now in a new place at age 78, Stella again set out to begin anew and make new friends. She attended classes at nearby Widener University and found a church home at nearby Calvary Fellowship Church. She was an active member of the “Ventures” over 60 group, as well as women’s Bible study classes. She loved meeting new people each and every day. They brought such joy to her. Little did she realize just how much joy she brought into each of their lives as well.
She treasured the frequent visits with her daughter, sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren and reveled in their accomplishments. She prayed every evening before bed in her “prayer corner” not just for the health and successes of her family, but for friends, neighbors and her beloved America, which she truly loved.
In addition to family and church activities, her favorite pastimes included watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and reruns of “Monk”. She also catered to her one addiction…her love of all things chocolate!
Stella was predeceased by her beloved husband, Thomas J. Rocca, her parents, Nicola Colavito and Vita Marie Colavito (nee Liantonio), her brother Thomas Colavito and son-in-law Douglas Anderson. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Vincent and Mary Ann Rocca of Toms River, NJ; her son Nicholas of Woodland Hills, California; her son and daughter-in-law Thomas (Tim) and Denise Rocca of Toms River, NJ; and by her daughter and son-in-law Kathy and Matthew Mallek of Exton, PA; as well as by her six grandchildren, David and Thomas Rocca, Michael Rocca and Jenna Rocca Castano (wife of Louis Castano) and Nicholas and Brian Mallek. In addition, she is survived by three great-grand children: Ava Stella Rocca, and Louis and Matteo Castano. She also is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Antoinette and Jack Gormley of Manchester, NJ and sister-in-law Vivian Colavito of West Orange.
Friends and relatives may gather on Friday, October 22 from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Shook-Farmer Funeral Home, 45 Roseland Ave., Roseland, NJ. A mass of Catholic burial will be offered on Saturday, October 23 at 11:15 A.M at St. Rose of Lima Church, 312 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover, NJ. Entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 225 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover NJ.
For further information or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.shookfarmer.com.