Obituary of Rosemarie Versak

Rosemarie Kubiak Versak "Ro/Rosie," aged 72 years, passed peacefully at home on February 3, with her husband of 53 years by her side, after fiercely fighting an illness. Born in Philadelphia, PA on March 4, 1949, she moved with her family to Pitman in 1977. She worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and even with a demanding job, raising 5 children, and running a household, she was a shining example of everything that was good in the world to all her children and grandchildren. There are not enough words possible to sum up everything that Ro was to everyone who was lucky enough to know her. She was the light of every room she walked into and made friends everywhere she went. Many of these friends would go on to be folded into the fabric of our family. She loved to make everyone laugh with her zany antics. She loved dressing up and decorating for every holiday, much to her husband's chagrin. She would delight everyone with her Turkey outfit at Thanksgiving, Santa costume at Christmas, then Leprechaun, Easter Bunny, and Uncle Sam - with house decorations to match. Even while battling cancer, she would excitedly dress in her costumes for every treatment that coincided with the holiday to cheer up the other patients and nursing staff. As a true South Philly native, she had the greatest love for the Mummers and was happy to break into the Mummers strut whenever possible and belt out her version of "Golden Slippers." On New Year's Day, she looked forward to going to 2nd Street to watch the string bands and visit with family and old neighborhood friends - and when she couldn't make it that year, could be found in her favorite chair at home, glued to the TV all day watching the parade. The string bands were her favorite, and she would keep a running list of all performances and then compare notes via text with all her children on our thoughts for who would win. One of our happiest memories was when we were able to surprise her with a Mardi Gras-themed 70th birthday party at the Woodland String Band Clubhouse where she was serenaded by the string band. Her greatest love of all, though, was her family. She married the love of her life, Mike, in 1968. She was always up for a new adventure and loved traveling to Europe, Asia and Africa - and making plans to visit new places all of the time, with Mike at her side. They fiercely loved and protected each other and were each other's best friend. She was the mother to Jackie Andrews (Ron), Jennifer Versak-Kennedy (Mike), Kimberly Versak Halton (Richard), Michelle Bassetti (Joe), and Andrew Versak (Mike). She was also the grandmother to Christopher, Grace, Matthew, Alicia, Maclean, Tabitha, Sophie, Luke, Max, Peyton, Sebastian, and Georgina. She enjoyed spending time with her sister and sometime dance partner Betty and her little brother Michael. And she loved family dinners, celebrating birthdays and other milestones, camping trips and family vacations, and any other moment where we were all there together. She adored big family gatherings, with all the noise and chaos and 100 different conversations at once - especially when she was at the center of them. She taught the importance of traditions and making every special moment count. All of our children, their spouses, and grandchildren were lucky enough to receive her annual "Western Union Telegram" birthday call, where she would deliver a whole telegram complete with a selection of songs for each month. The call would conclude with her favorite song ever - Marilyn Monroe's version of "Happy Birthday, Mr. President". These Western Union Telegrams were something we looked forward to as our birthdays approached and they will be sorely missed. She made every one of her children and grandchildren feel loved at every juncture in their lives. She spent the past 16 years as a seasonal site owner at Beachcomber Campground in Cape May, naming her house "Pelican Inn," and enjoyed her close group of "Angler" friends that became a second family to them. They spent entire summers out and about in Cape May and Wildwood visiting their favorite haunts. She loved "hunting for treasures" and had a great love of visiting thrift stores and yard sales and loved finding special pieces to treasure. She recently reached her lifelong goal of owning a beach house in Wildwood and enjoyed the time decorating and enjoying her beautiful rose garden at "Rosie's Cove". The family has lost our guiding light and spirit and we are devastated by her loss. She will be sorely missed by all who were lucky enough to know her. Through the lifetime of memories she created, she will live in our hearts forever and will never truly be gone. She is predeceased by her mother Rose, father Frank, sisters Julie and Frances, and her brother Raymond. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth Bowers (Norm) and Michael Kubiak (Cathy). Friends and family may visit from 8:30 am to 9:45 am on Tuesday February 8, at KELLEY FUNERAL HOME, 125 Pitman Ave, Pitman, NJ. The funeral mass will follow at 10 am at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Pitman, NJ. Interment is at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, 1056 Seashore Road Cape May, NJ. For those wishing to make a contribution, Ro's favorite charity was St. Jude's Children's Hospital (www.stjude.org). Friends and family are encouraged to share memories at www.kelleyfhpitman.com