Rose Rozich Bonini a resident of Princeton, NJ for over 60 years passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on Sunday June 14, 2020 of natural causes in Bala Cynwyd, PA surrounded by her family.
Rose was preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years William E. Bonini, parents Evan and Agnes Rozich and sister Mary Rozich. She is survived by their four children and spouses, seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, one step-grandchild and spouse, two step great-grandchildren.
Born in her home on August 29, 1925 in Farrell, PA, Rose was a first generation American raised by her parents in a bilingual home, fluent in English and Serbo-Croatian. She grew up in a richly multi-ethic small-town community where she enjoyed tap dancing, roller skating, hours of reading at the local library and commuting on foot about town. Graduating 1st in her class from Farrell High School in 1943 she was recruited and offered an academic scholarship to Youngstown College graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry in 1948 to become the first college graduate in her family. After college she attended the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin, Madison where she earned a Master of Science Degree in Zoology in 1951. She was just shy of a PhD in Biochemistry at Wisconsin, when her graduate work was disrupted to return home to care for her dying mother. In 1952 she met the love of her life Bill Bonini in Madison at a Geology graduate-student party. They married on December 4, 1954 at the Georgetown Lutheran Church, in Georgetown, Washington, DC. The newlyweds settled in Princeton, NJ where Bill was on the faculty at Princeton University and raised their four children. At age 50 after their youngest child started school full-time, Rose went back to work and had a rewarding career as Manager of Information Services at Carter-Wallace research laboratories in Cranbury, NJ where she used her extensive science background to do on-line medical and pharmaceutical document research and indexing as their research librarian. She was always deeply grateful for her career at Carter-Wallace. During her years in Princeton she enjoyed membership in the Princeton University League, the League’s Garden Club, the Orchid Society, and her community Bridge Club. In their younger days Bill and Rose were regulars at all the home Princeton football and basketball games. Together, they loved the arts, collecting original artwork that filled the walls of their home, and attending the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She also loved to sew, making clothing for herself and her family. She could not have been prouder of her four children who attended Princeton University and her delightful grandchildren and step-grandchildren, all of whom gave her much joy. Above all else, she loved her family and often reflected that she had a wonderful life.
Rose is survived her four children and sons- and daughters-in-laws: John A. Bonini and wife Loretta A. Estabrooks of Holmes Beach, FL; Nancy M. Bonini and husband Anthony R. Cashmore of Penn Valley, PA; James P. Bonini and wife Patricia C. Bonini of Frisco, TX; and Jennifer A. Bonini and husband Scott N. Miller of Laramie, WY. Seven grandchildren: Christine A. Ryan (Bonini) and husband Trevor N. Ryan, Megan E. Bonini, Caroline A. Bonini, James P. Bonini Jr., Sam D. Miller, Keegan A. Miller and Margaret M. Miller. One step-grandchild: Shivani M. Cashmore and husband John E. Nevergole, one great-granddaughter Adeline M. Ryan, and two step great-grandchildren Nolan A. and Siona M. Nevergole.
Services will be private and a family memorial will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her memory by mail or on-line to either: Youngstown State University Foundation, College of Science Engineering Technology and Math, Department of Chemistry, 655 Wick Ave, Youngstown, OH 44502 or on-line at http://ysufoundation.com/giving/ or the University of Wisconsin Foundation, Department of Biochemistry Fund-132151050, US Bank Lockbox 78807, Milwaukee, WI 53278-0807 or on-line at https://secure.supportuw.org/give/