Maria Anna Colosi

1944 - 2022

It is with heavy hearts that we bid a final farewell to Maria Colosi, who passed away on her 78th birthday. She battled cancer for more than 21 years and was courageously stoic in her fight. Maria will be remembered for her bravery, the love she had for her family, and her fun and creative nature. She is sorely missed.Maria was born in San Francisco, California, to Frank and Madeline Cozzo. She grew up with one brother, Sal. In high school, Maria was known for being funny. She did a remarkable impression of the nuns who taught her. This sense of humor won over many hearts, including that of her future husband, Tom. The pair met when they were 15 and celebrated 55 years of marriage this year. Their bond was a true testament to everlasting love.Maria had a keen eye for detail. She could tell if something was off about a person, or if they weren't telling the truth. Maria used this skill in many ways, including as an artist. She had a knack for painting. She also loved gardening, caring for animals, spending time with her two grandsons, and watching her favorite TV shows, like Bachelor in Paradise and Flea Market Flip. Maria was a born explorer. She spent time in France, navigating through Brittany and Normandy, and was thrilled when she took a trip to Trabia, Sicily, from where her grandfather originated. She traveled close to home, too. Mendocino and Big Sur were Maria's favorite spots in California, but she also loved Los Angeles. That's where she attended the SAG Awards and her beloved Dancing with The Stars. She enjoyed watching beautiful people in their beautiful clothes. There was one other realm that captured Maria's attention – her own recovery. She was a true investigator when it came to researching the best approach to treat her many types of blood cancer. Maria had achieved remission and followed many treatment plans that prolonged her life. Her last diagnosis was the very aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). She gave it her all and found the strength to complete one final chemo treatment. Maria died peacefully at home, surrounded by the love and support of her family. She was given the sacrament of last rites, raised her hand, and even under heavy sedation said, "That's enough." Maria made it clear that she was ready and didn't need to hear the name of every Saint praying for her. That's who Maria was, always in charge and her own advocate. Her family was so proud of Maria's strength, attitude, and faith as she fought her illness. She deeply believed in Jesus, and we know he carried her through to the very end. Maria is predeceased by her parents Frank and Madeline (Minasian) Cozzo, her sister Anna Cozzo, and her aunt Charlotte (Minasian) Saroyan.Maria is survived by her husband Tom Colosi, daughter Gia Colosi, son Tommy Colosi, and daughter-in-law Armine Colosi. She leaves behind her brother Sal Cozzo, grandsons Kyran and Avian Colosi, friends Jo-Ann (Cookie) Perry and Yvonne Eaton, and her beloved pocket beagle, Scout. A celebration of Maria's life will take place in the Spring. A fund to support Dr. Zhang's research at Stanford University has been set up in memory of Maria Colosi. Please consider donating to the fund via the method of your choice: To make a gift online, please visit memorial.stanford.edu. Select "Other Stanford Designation" from the first drop-down menu and enter "AML Research Fund for Dr. Tian Zhang" in the second box. Following your payment information, please select that this is a gift in memory of Maria Colosi.To make a gift by mail, please make the check payable to Stanford University. Please indicate on the memo line that the donation is for "AML Research Fund for Dr. Tian Zhang," in memory of Maria Colosi. Mail to: Stanford University, P.O. Box 20466, Stanford, CA 94309.