Obituary of Rosemarie Lorentz

Rosemarie Lorentz was dedicated to her family, always there to offer help and assistance any way she could.  She was funny and witty like her high school yearbook read, “She was like a fruitcake, sweet, but nutty.” Rosemarie truly was the matriarch of the family. At the age of 86, she passed away peacefully on September 30, 2024. Born and raised in Staten Island, she moved to New Jersey in 2016 to be closer to her family. Rosemarie was born and resided in Tompkinsville until 1957. She was the daughter of the late Emilio C. Villani and Rose Villani (Fago), sister of the late Emil "Sonny" Villani and late Vincent “Brother” Villani.  Rosemarie graduated from McKee High School and went on to work as a key punch operator at IBM in Manhattan, leaving to marry and raise her family.  She married the late Richard J. Lorentz in 1964 and settled in Dongan Hills, where she resided until her move to Freehold, NJ in 2016. Rosemarie also worked at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home as a nurse's aide. She was a woman who put family above all else. Rosemarie was an active part of her grandchildren’s lives and continued to be with her great grandchild, Leonardo Kotlyar who she affectionately referred to as “Lee Lee.” She was a parishioner of St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, Staten Island. Rosemarie also loved to cook and due to her impeccable cooking was given the name by her grandchildren as “Nan Can Cook.” She also enjoyed the holidays with her family.

Rosemarie is survived by two children, Rosemarie Lorentz and Christine Cannizzaro, and their spouses, Joseph LoNigro and Michael Cannizzaro. She deeply loved her grandchildren who referred to her as “Nanny”; Michael R. Cannizzaro and Santina Cannizzaro (nee DiMaggio), Erica M. Cannizzaro, Christina N. Kotlyar (nee Moscato) and Rosti Kotlyar, Nicholas M. Moscato, and Richard Moscato. Rosemarie was also referred to and known around the Dongan Hills neighborhood by her grandchildren’s friends fondly as “Nanny.”  The family also would like to thank the compassionate care Rosemarie received from the Springpoint Living Community where she resided for the last 2 ½ years from the nurses, aides, receptionist, as well as the dietary staff who all treated her with love and kindness.

A visitation will be at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the funeral home on Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 9:00 AM for the procession to her 11:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 101 Cromwell Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10302. Interment will follow in Moravian Cemetery, 2205 Richmond Road, Staten Island, NY 10304. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rosemarie’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or HERE . For information, directions, or to leave condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com .