Rose Gasteyer passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home in Feeding Hills on April 8, 2026, the home where she raised her family, filled the house with the smell of fresh bread, and welcomed everyone who walked through her door.

Rose was born on January 1, 1942, in Locri, Reggio Calabria, Italy, where she spent her earliest years before emigrating to the United States in 1954 at the age of twelve. She made the journey alongside her parents, Gaetano and Mary Antico, and her siblings Bianca, Giulia, and Salvatore, a family that brought with them the warmth and traditions of southern Italy, many of which Rose would carry forward for the rest of her life. She went on to graduate from Commerce High School in Springfield in 1960, and built a life rooted in creativity, and an open heart.

Over the years, Rose worked at Westfield Bank and as a florist, where she discovered a gift for floral arrangement. Her creations graced family celebrations and the center of her kitchen table alike. In that kitchen Rose showed off her gift for cooking all while making people feel welcome and cared for.

Rose was effortlessly the most stylish person in any room she entered, never missing a chance to present her best self. She possessed the unique gift of making others feel good by simply being herself.

Known for her generosity, Rose never arrived anywhere empty-handed, and she extended grace and kindness to every person she met without hesitation. To know Rose was to feel that you belonged.

Faith was a quiet but steady thread throughout her life, and her connection to Sacred Heart Parish in Feeding Hills reflected the values she lived every day: generosity and the belief in caring for others.

Rose is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, Robert Gasteyer; her children Bobby Gasteyer and his wife Lisa, Donna DePalma and her husband Steve, and Michael Gasteyer and his wife Hilda; her eight beloved grandchildren Giani, Stephen, Mia, Ryan, Kara, Ethan, Owen, and Aaron (Rooney); and her great-grandson Domenic. Rose was predeceased by her parents and in laws, sister Bianca Panzetti, sisters-in-law Sandra Antico, Roberta DeMarco, brothers-in-law Paul Tomaino, and Albert Panzetti, niece Robbie DeMarco, and nephews Ronnie DeMarco, Dino Antico and David Antico.

Rose's family will gather and receive family and friends on April 14th from 9:00-10:45am at Agawam Funeral Home on 184 Main Street in Agawam and proceed to Sacred Heart Church at 1061 Springfield Street in Feeding Hills where a liturgy of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:30 AM followed by committal services at St. Michael Cemetery in Springfield.

In lieu of flowers, Rose and her family request that donations be made in her memory to Sacred Heart Parish in Feeding Hills.