Rose Marie was born on January 2, 1935, daughter of Anthony and Phyllis (Paonessa) DeSantis. She was born and raised in Niagara Falls. During her early years, she worked hard and happily served others as a waitress in many different local restaurants. Rose Marie loved to go out dancing with her girlfriends. A young man from Pennsylvania who was stationed at Fort Niagara with the Army happened to meet her out in a nightclub – and went on to become the love of her life. Charles and Rose Marie married on May 5, 1956.

Rose Marie devoted her life to caring for others. She cared for her aging parents, aunts and uncles, children, grandchildren and her husband. In her retirement years, she took on a part-time job as grandmother in the Hanci Program where she helped with the children whose parents were working. She loved the children and the job, and would often be out shopping for toys and snacks for her ‘grandkids’. It was heartwarming to learn, during her years residing at Our Lady of Peace, many of those now adult children remembered “Grandma Rose” with fondness. She had the knack for making people of all ages feel special.

Of all her greatest traits – she is remembered constantly in the kitchen cooking and baking. She was the Queen in the kitchen, and for those lucky enough to have tried her sauce, eggplant Parmesan, lasagna, beans and greens, you could not simply go to any local Italian restaurant and have a better meal.

And dance! Rose Marie could jitterbug and knew all the 50’s swing dances – a little bit of a show off, wild feet in little shoes. Everyone loved to watch her go, and even in her early years of dementia, her feet never forgot a beat when the music was turned up.

She loved bingo and playing cards, telling jokes, crossword puzzles, talking on the phone, daytime soap operas, playing with and overfeeding her dogs (and everyone else). Until dementia crept in and slowly took over the bright and lively woman who was fiercely independent and capable.

When her mind began to fail, Rose Marie was helped with assistance from Complete Senior Care, PACE of Niagara Falls. As she continued to lose more of her ability to live alone, in late August 2019, she was afforded the good fortune of being placed under the full-time care of Our Lady of Peace.

Rose Marie would live in this beautiful facility until her health would steadily, gradually decline. She lacked for nothing. Her every need was met, and most of those latter years had a very unique and special element of joy – music, activities, cleanliness, friendliness, expertise in knowing how to handle her special needs. There are not enough ways to say thank you to this outstanding nursing home – to all of the angels and saints who cared for her hands-on every day, with special recognition to her aide Theresa Matthews. Theresa went above and beyond and genuinely loved Rose Marie Corio, and her grief to lose her friend and patient is not a job requirement, but a God ordained mission she does with such eloquence and grace. God bless and reward you, Theresa!

And also, to the entire staff at Our Lady of Peace, who were not simply Rose Marie’s caregivers, but became extended family – we would like to thank you individually and collectively. Our mother received perfect and loving attention and care from the day she first arrived until the day she left. Words cannot express our gratitude.

After months of struggling during her last days, in the wee hours of the morning before the light of day, our father came into her room, gently nudged her to wake up, took her hand and led her to her eternal home – back beside him to join family and friends who had been patiently waiting for the last of her generation to join them. Rose Marie died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, May 8, 2026. She was at peace, and she was smiling.

Rose Marie is survived by her children, Mary P. Corio and Joseph A. (Gina) Corio; her grandchildren, Edward J. (Justina) Grudzinski, Jr., Charles (Susan) Corio, Maria Corio and Joseph (Christine) Corio, Jr.; her great-grandchildren, Stayley Rose Grudzinski, Merrick Joseph Grudzinski, Charles Corio III and Vincenza Corio; her brother, John DeSantis of Port St. Lucie, FL, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Rose Marie was predeceased by her husband, Charles (Ignazio) Corio.

Visitation will be on Friday, May 15 from 3 – 7 PM at M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel, 2730 Military Road, Niagara Falls, NY, where funeral services will follow at 7:00 PM. Committal prayer services will be held on Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 AM in North Ridge Cemetery, 4210 Church Rd, Lockport, NY 14094. In lieu of flowers, memorial offerings may be made to Our Lady of Peace Ascension Living (Dementia and Alzheimer's care unit), 5285 Lewiston Road Lewiston, New York 14092. Visit mjcoluccifuneralchapel.com for online condolences.