Rose Davis Aversa

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Rose Davis Aversa, 80, of Montgomery Terrace, Fonda, N.Y., died peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam. Born on February 21, 1929, in Belmont, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Dr. Harold S. and Mary Davidson Davis. She graduated from Greenwich (Conn.) high school, Fulton-Montgomery Community College and the University at Albany. In 1960, she moved from New York City to Fonda after her husband Anthony was hired as a music teacher at Fonda-Fultonville Central School. A former board member of Montgomery Transitional Services, she was an accomplished musician and writer. During the 1960s, she provided piano accompaniment for school choral concerts and volunteered as a Cub Scout den mother. Her poetry was regularly featured in the Mohawk Valley Democrat.

Survivors include: her loving husband, Anthony C. Aversa, whom she married on July 21, 1956; four children, Jack (Rosie) Aversa of Ballston Spa, N.Y., Martin (Yulia) Aversa of Sofia, Bulgaria, Catherine (Mark) Roberts of Scotia, N.Y., Nancy (Ken) Gutelius of Orion Township, Mich.; a brother, George (Margherita) Davis of Wanaque, N.J. two sisters-in-law, Pauline Davis of Upper Montclair, N.J. and Nancy Aversa of Frankfort, N.Y.; eight grandchildren, Cassandra, Jacqueline and Felicia Aversa, Matthew and Erin Roberts, Elizabeth Aversa, and Hannah and Danielle Gutelius; and special family friend Sonomi (Endo) Nakamura, a former exchange student from Japan, who remains close to the family. She was predeceased by her siblings, Dr. John Clifton Davis and Catherine Crowley.

Rose's family would like to extend a special thank you to: neighbors Karen and Ellsworth Simpson, Rick Bobilin, and Francis and Virginia Healey; friend and mentor, Arlene Rambush; the Montgomery County Office for the Aging; the St. Johnsville Rehabilitation Center and Nursing Home; Dr. Miroslav Vytrisal and Dr. Nancy Knudsen, as well as the PCU, palliative care and nursing staff at St. Mary's Hospital; and Mountain Valley Hospice, for their loving care of Rose during her later years and final days.

A Service of Remembrance and Legacy Candle Ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 10, 2009, at 2 o'clock at the Jackson & Betz Funeral Home, 15 Main Street, Fultonville. Relatives and friends are invited and may call prior to the service beginning at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mohawk Hudson Planned Parenthood (1040 State Street, Schenectady, NY 12307) or to the Frothingham Free Library (28 W. Main Street, Fonda, NY 12068-0746). It was Rose's request to donate her body to science through the Anatomical Gift Program at Albany Medical College. Please visit the online guestbook at www.brbsfuneral.com.