Rose J. Cavallo

Rose Josephine (Marrone) Cavallo of Weymouth, MA passed away on July 30th 2025, at the age of 95.

Rose was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1930 to Paul and Antonina Marrone, the second to the youngest of seven children, Rose had four brothers and two sisters, all deceased: Mary, John, Albert, George, Paul and Antoinette. When Rose was 10 years old the family relocated to Quincy, MA where Rose graduated from Quincy High School and then attended Quincy Community College.

Rose married her husband, Firefighter Orlando N. Cavallo, on December 9, 1951 and lived for 39 years in East Weymouth where they raised their 8 children. When her children were young, the Cavallo family was known for wearing matching outfits for the Easter parade handmade by Rose and her mother. Rose was a past president of the ladies Guiseppe Verde Son’s of Italy Lodge and spent Tuesday nights working the Bingo games there. She also played on bowling leagues and coached girls Farm League baseball teams as well as volunteered as a CCD teacher.

Rose and Orlando spent many years with their children camping, starting out in a pop-up camper and working their way up to owning a motor home they began traveling to Florida for the winters after Ollie’s retirement. They were Patriots season ticket holders since 1969 and enjoyed tailgating at the Patriots games. They eventually traded in the motor home for a Park Model in South Fort Myers, the Fountain of Youth as described by my father, where they spent 7 winters prior to Orlando’s passing in October 1990 from occupational cancer.

Other than her children, Rose’s most significant accomplishment was working with the firefighters’ union and a team of lawyers to successfully extend the provisions of the Cancer Presumption Law to those who are already in retirement, which law, previously only applied to persons actively employed. This precedent setting change provided disability compensation and support to firefighters who developed certain types of cancer presumed to be work-related.

Being of strong mind and soul, Rose bravely continued spending her fall and winters as a snowbird until 2015. Rose was very active, engaging in daily volleyball games, tennis matches and dancing 3 nights a week. She was often seen riding her bike or roller skating along the park’s smooth streets. She attended the annual fireman’s parade and many other functions held at the Palmetto Palms. She loved playing board and card games. Rose was always very young and active for her age which she would always say was 29 years in spirit! Rose was known to assist the “Senior” occupants of the park with anything, never considering herself as a “Senior” and also known for making people laugh always passing along anecdotes like “Stay Happy and Healthy”! Rose met her companion, Charlie Malloy, at a singles dance, and they spent several years together until his passing in December 2019.

Rose loved spending time with her family, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. They kept her young at heart. She especially enjoyed her time providing day care to her two granddaughters Julia and Sara, who she thought of as her own children.

Rose is survived by her children Angela Stuart and her husband Peter, of Quincy, MA; Regina Brown and her husband Butch of Estero, FL, Orlando N. Cavallo, Jr and his wife Shellie of Pembroke, MA, Anthony Cavallo and his wife Melissa of East Weymouth, Ma, Paul Cavallo of Marshfield, MA and Teresa Fettig and her husband Bob of Hanson, MA. Pre-deceased by her husband, Orlando N. Cavallo, and daughters Marilyn and Pauline.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Monday 8/4/2025 from 4-7 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home EAST WEYMOUTH at 3 Charles Street (corner of Charles & Middle Street). A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:30 AM on Tuesday 8/5/2025 prior to the Funeral Mass in Immaculate Conception Church, Weymouth at 10:30 AM. Burial in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Weymouth.