Irene Mildred Hickey Rossi, age 94, of Montville, NJ died peacefully on November 8th in Honesdale, PA.

Irene was born May 30th 1931 in Paterson, NJ to Nicholas Joseph Hickey and Sarah Agnes Kane Hickey. She was the first person in her family to attend college and earned a Bachelor's degree in biology from Rutgers Newark and a Masters in Special Education from William Paterson. After earning her Bachelors degree, she worked at Hoffman Laroche. Later she entered the convent and was a Novice at Sisters of Saint Joseph for one year. After leaving the convent, she cared for her ailing father and started a career in teaching. Irene loved being involved with her many nieces and nephews and was inspired to start a family of her own. In November 1969 she married Vincent P. Rossi from Hawthorne, NJ and they built a home and family in Montville, NJ. Irene and Vince had three children. Irene was a stay at home mom, class mother, and Cub Scout leader. She returned to teaching when her children were school aged, earned her master's degree, and worked in the Montville Township and Montclair school systems. She spent the last 15 years of her career working at Essex Junior Academy, a special educationschool where she “loved the children like her own grandchildren.” She was overjoyed in the 2010s when she welcomed grandsons Nicholas and Luca into her life.

Up until age 90 Irene lived at home, made possible with the devoted support of her son Vincent. In her 90s she spent 2 yearsin Sunnyvale, CA living with her son, Peter, daughter-in-law Andrea and her grandsons - with whom she shared her love of reading - devouring a book a week.

In later years Irene was a beloved resident of Twin Cedars Senior Living in Shohola, PA and Ellen Memorial in Honesdale, PA – allowing her time to enjoy with her daughter Irene from Pennsylvania. She made friends everywhere she went. 

Irene  loved the opera and delighted in attending performances at the Met with dear friends Lotta Stallman and Catherine Guellnitz. She also enjoyed camping and the outdoors and instilled a love of music and nature in her children. Irene was a lifelong Democrat and member of the League of Women Voters,the Montville Women's Club, and the Montville Senior Citizens’club. She also loved to host picnics and Christmas Eve at her home in Montville - creating fun filled memories for family and friends. She was especially close with her five siblings, who loved to meet up at Grasshopper II and supported each other through thick and thin.

Irene was known for being ahead of her time, her compassion, strength and iron will. Irene is survived by her children Vincent Rossi, Peter Rossi (Andrea), and Irene Jones (David), her grandchildren Nicholas Rossi and Luca Rossi, her sister Sharon Stella (Bill Cass) and dozens of nieces and nephews,grandnieces and grandnephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband Vincent P. Rossi, her sisters Mary Diehl (Paul), Sally Burke (Joseph), Patricia Harris (James) and brother Joseph (Gloria) as well as her brother-in-law Tob Rossi (Dolores) and her sister-in-law and Genevieve“Gene” Ross.

Visitation will be held at Keri-Lozito Funeral Home in Lincoln Park Wednesday November 12th from 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00.  At 6:15 a short memorial dedication by her children can be viewed via online link. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 Thursday November 13th at Saint Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Montville, followed by burial at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa and a repast at the Columbia Inn in Montville.

Zoom Link to Memorial Wednesday 6:15 

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/81713657708

Meeting ID: 817 1365 7708