Rosemary Sisco

Retired Teacher

Rosemary D. Sisco was a Spanish Foreign Language teacher in the Bellmore-Merrick school system for 30+ years, retiring in the early 2000s. She spent the majority of her teaching career at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, having previously taught at the former Brookside Junior High school.

Rosemary passed on March 25.

Her former colleague, retired fellow Spanish teacher Cheryl Loverro said: “We became fast and good friends when Brookside closed down and she came up to Calhoun HS. We trusted and relied on each other through the years. We bounced many ideas off each other creating lessons that would incorporate both our upper level classes. We went on many field trips together combining our classes in “co-operative” teaching experiences which also included many Spanish food cooking lessons as Rosemary was teaching from the old Home Ec. Room with stoves, ovens, pots and pans! I missed Rosemary terribly from the moment she walked out the door and I will continue to miss her today.”

Rosemary also took her students on memorable trips to Spain in the 70s and 80s, herself an avid traveler.

Born in Queens in 1948, Rosemary split her retirement time between Maspeth, Queens and her Catskills family home in Saugerties, NY, where she enjoyed knitting and gardening in her spare time. She sold her hats and scarfs in local shops under the name “Mariposa Rose,” even knitting miniature versions for her nieces’ pets.

She loved taking Caribbean cruises and traveled with a group of tight-knit friends for many years, and had enjoyed a trip as recently as February 2020.

Known by “Rory” to her family, she was a kind, friendly, and positive woman who will be very much missed.

She is survived by her sister Eileen, and her nieces Emmeline and Elizabeth.

A church memorial mass will be held at a later time.

Condolences can be sent to her sister, Eileen at eibuyrt@aol.com.