Rosemary (Avylla) "Rosie" Baptiste
May 14, 2010
TAUNTON / FALMOUTH – Rosemary (Avylla) "Rosie" Baptiste, 63, died Friday, May 14, 2010, in Falmouth Hospital, after a brave one-year battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family and close friends at the time of her death.
A longtime Taunton resident, she had been a summer resident of Falmouth for seventeen years and a permanent resident of Falmouth for the past three years, while also maintaining a home in Stuart, FL. She was the daughter of the late Augustus and Ellen F. (Burns) Avylla. For the past forty-three years she had been the devoted wife of John “Jack” Baptiste.
Educated in the Taunton Public Schools, she was a 1965 graduate of Taunton High School. She was an employee of the City of Taunton School Department for thirty years, seventeen of those being spent with her Bennett School “family’ as the secretary to the assistants and secretaries union. She was actively involved with all the events of the school, including the yearly Spring Fair.
During school vacations and after her retirement in 2008, Rosie enjoyed traveling as well as spending time at her home in Falmouth and family cottage in Dennisport. Camp Sunshine in Casco, ME, was lucky to have her as a weeklong volunteer with her daughter and granddaughter. She spent this past winter in her new condo in Stuart, FL, and walking on the beautiful beaches of Hutchinson Island. Rosemary, aka, Nana, mostly enjoyed spending time and spoiling her four grandchildren. She was a avid scrap booker, enjoyed fall trips to Martha’s Vineyard, kayaking, taking tai chi, yoga classes, planting flowers, walking, reading and spending time on the beach.
Besides her husband Jack, Rosemary is survived by her daughter, Karen M. Siedentopf and her husband David of Middleboro; and a son, John M. Baptiste and his wife Nancy of Taunton. She was the proud grandmother of Mikayla and Hunter Siedentopf, and Emma and Oliver Baptiste. She was the sister of Dorothy McGuire of Taunton, Rita Silviera and her husband Richard of Raynham, and Mary Lou Reindeau and her husband Albert of Taunton. She was the aunt of several, the sister-in-law of several and devoted friend of a group of seven girls, most of whom graduated from high school together who remained life time friends. She had a warm and special way of touching family, friends and people whom she had just met, especially endearing herself to her many caretakers over the past years. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
Funeral Information
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral from THE CRAPO-HATHAWAY FUNERAL HOME, 350 Somerset Ave. (Route 138 South), Taunton, Thursday, May 20, 2010, at 9:00 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Annunciation of the Lord Church, 31 First Street, Taunton, at 10:00 AM, to be followed by interment in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, May 19, from 4:00-8:00 PM in the funeral home. To LIGHT A CANDLE, SIGN THE MEMORIAL REGISTER, consult THE GRIEF LIBRARY, or obtain FACILITY DIRECTIONS, please log on to www.hathawayfunerals.com., or telephone 508/822-3318.
Donations Information
Contributions in her memory may be made to CAMP SUNSHINE (a retreat for critically ill children and their families), 35 Arcadia Road, Casco, ME 04015.