Patricia Joan Rositano

Patricia Joan ("Joanie") Rositano (née Milburn) passed away on Thursday, April 18th aged 85 years, after a 20+ year battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She was born May 7th 1938 in Normandy Township, St. Louis, Missouri to Cleta (McCarter) and Richard Milburn, and leaves behind her devoted husband of 60 years, Sal Rositano; Children Dana and Sean (Pat) Rositano, and grandchildren Megan (Isaac) Reed and Christopher Rositano.

At 8 years old, Joanie lost her older brother David. She attended Rittenour High School in St. Louis, where she enjoyed Hockey, Softball, Volleyball, Badminton and ice skating - and according to her peers, chewing gum in class against school rules! She was active in her local Lutheran congregation from an early age, participating in youth activities and teaching Sunday school until she left St Louis. Joan was declared "Queen of Mary Ridge" in a beauty pageant shortly after high school and represented the township at various events.

Upon graduation from high school, Joanie obtained a position with the Army Ordinance Procurement division, where she met lifelong friends Jeannie Brooks, Merle Neustadt, and Barbara Sanbrook. In 1962, after her mother died of breast cancer at just 42, Joan and Barbara packed up Joan's beloved Chevy convertible and left for San Francisco with no jobs and no firm plans.

Federal security clearances quickly landed Joan and Barbara administrative positions at NASA Ames Research Center, where their social circle soon included several handsome young NASA engineers, including Jim Connolly and one Sal Rositano. Joan attended Faith Lutheran Church in Los Gatos, where the two were married in January 1964.

The newlyweds rented a cottage in an apricot orchard on Mount Pleasant Road from Vince and Dee Guluzzo, with whom they enjoyed lifelong friendship, and by proxy, friendship with members of the Mount Pleasant Garden Club, who later became their close neighbors. They decided that Joan would stay home and care for the household and family. Sean was born in 1965, then in 1967, when Dana was born, they bought their first home on Clayton Road. Shortly thereafter, they joined Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, where Joan was active in the Martha Circle Bible Study Fellowship Group for more than 20 years and was deeply committed to serving the hungry at The Lord's Pantry. During the Clayton Road years, Joan continued to pursue her passion for gardening, and was active in the Fred Marten Elementary Home & School Club, holding several leadership positions, volunteering in the classroom and the school library. Joan was also instrumental in campaigning door to door in support of Sal's terms on the Mount Pleasant School Board.

In 1977, Sal & Joanie embarked on The Big Dream: Owning a home outright on property where they had room for their passions. They purchased a parcel of the Guluzzo Ranch on Mount Pleasant Road, then moved a family home from Sal's grandparents' ranch on Senter Road to its present location. They moved in during the Summer of 1980, and Joan was able to greatly expand her pursuit of gardening, with a particular fondness for hybrid Iris.

During these active years, Joan supported Sean and Dana's various pursuits, including volunteering with the Pleasant Acres 4-H club and the Bellarmine College Preparatory Mothers Guild. She never missed her weekday workouts at 24-hour fitness, where she enjoyed Jazzercise, swimming, gym equipment, especially racquetball. When the kids were out of high school, Joan wanted to accelerate furnishing the house, so she enjoyed working for a time as Office Manager for a court reporting firm.

After Sal semi-retired in 1994, Joan helped Sal and Sean renovate Sean's home in Gilroy. In 1995, when grandson Christopher was born, Joan enjoyed what would be several years of part-time weekday hands-on grandparenting, until she was no longer able to drive. During this time, the grandchildren realized that they needed to help Grandma with directions to and from home or the park; a new life chapter with dementia had begun.

Sal feels fortunate to have been able to keep the love of his life at home with him throughout the long journey they experienced together. Many dear friends and caregivers assisted in her care, and the family is most especially grateful for the assistance, friendship and love provided by Anne Fitzgerald, Kathy Miller, Donna Zimmerman and other Gloria Dei church members who have actively supported Joan, Sal and family for more than 10 years.

Joanie will be missed but is finally at peace after a long and difficult journey. She always said she wasn't worried about dying, because she knew she'd "just have a riot" reuniting with friends and family who had gone before her. We are certain she was right.

Celebration of life: 11:30 am Saturday, July 13th at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 121 South White Rd, San Jose CA 95127 (408) 729-7563.

Instead of flowers, donations are welcomed to The Lord's Pantry in its mission to feed the hungry in our local community https://www.thelordspantry.com/