Obituary of Rose (Swiderski) Cassese

Rose A. (Swiderski) Cassese, 88, of Danvers, died peacefully at the Kaplan Hospice House in Danvers after a valiant battle with cancer. She had shared 60 years of marriage with her husband, Michael A. Cassese. Rose was born in Peabody, Massachusetts, and was the last surviving child of the late Stanislaus and Antonia (Daniszewski) Swiderski and lived in Danvers after her marriage. She worked as a part-time bookkeeper for many years at several businesses including Evans Flowers. She took accounting classes at North Shore Community College where her expertise astounded her younger fellow students. Rose enjoyed traveling with her husband and family and was a wonderful cook. She also liked to knit and sew. Rose always loved dancing as a young girl and this love continued throughout her life – her most memorable dance being at her 50th anniversary party. She was a member of the Danvers Polish Club and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. A devout Catholic, she was a member of the choir at St. Mary of Annunciation Church in her younger years and also a member of the Ladies Sodality. She was predeceased by her son, Michael A. Cassese Jr. whom she adored. She was also predeceased by four sisters, Helen T. Lachowicz, Mary Szymanski, Wanda Ziomek and Alice Cassese and five brothers, Alexander, Stanley, Edward and Anthony and Albert Swiderski. She is survived by her husband, Michael A. Cassese, her daughter, Paula McKinnon, her grandson, Michael McKinnon, and her son in law, Robert McKinnon, as well as many caring and loving nieces and nephews who held her in high esteem. Family was of the utmost importance to her and she had an encyclopedic knowledge of every detail and date of the family history. Devoted to all her family, she became its anchor. There were many special family members, neighbors and friends who came to the family’s aid in the past two and a half years. The family is extremely grateful for all the kindness and help that those angels gave to Rose. A special thanks to Patty, who was her caretaker for over a year and Kris Hurton as well as her nurse Karen, and aide, Donna, volunteers Cynthia and Mark of Hospice of the North Shore. Her Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday at 9:00 AM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours are on Monday from 6:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial will be in Annunciation Cemetery, Danvers. Contributions can be made in her name to either, Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B -102, Danvers, MA 01923 or Ovation for the Cure, at www.ovationsforthecure.org or American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061-0515.