Rosa Mezzasalma

Rosa Mezzasalma, 89, of Flushing, NY, passed away peacefully on September 22, 2026. She was born on April 13, 1937, in Sicily, Italy and immigrated to the United States in 1969 with her husband, Luigi and three children, Gaetano, Marcello and Annamaria, and mother-in-law, Annamaria Zapia Mezzasalma. Family was the most important thing in her life, and Rosaworked tirelessly to make them happy.

Rosa was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was an incredible cook, making everything from scratch . Her greatest joy was spending Sundays, holidays and celebrations with her family around her dining room table on Park Drive East. She would spend days preparing so many specialties like homemade pizza, fried cauliflower, potato croquettes, arancini, focaccia, lasagna, spiedini, cream puffs or tiramisu, to name just a few. He favorite saying was “I cook with love.” Everyone was welcomed into her home and no one ever left with an empty stomach or a take home package of food, because she always made too much. When you invited Rosa over, she never arrived empty handed, often bringing one of her homemade specialties. Everything she made was magic, always reminding us “I cook with love.”

Rosa’s deep faith and love in God sustained her throughout her life, especially after her husband, Luigi’s death in 1994. Adevoted Roman Catholic, she loved attending mass at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Church, where Rev. Passenant and Pastor Most Rev. Sanchez. And when Rosa stopped driving, her children would drive into Queens and take her to mass, food shopping, doctor appointments, whatever she needed.

Rosa is survived by her sons, Gaetano (Lee) and Marcello (Charisse), her daughter, Annamaria (Kenny); her grandsons, Christopher (Brittany), Christian (Alie), and Matthew, her granddaughters Jacqueline (Bryan), Erica (Dave), and Nicole, and her great grandchildren, Christopher James, Sylvie Grace and Lily Rose. She also leaves behind her many loving nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews in Sicily and America.

Rosa was preceded in death by her husband, Luigi; her parents, Carmelo and Maria Macchia; her brothers, Domenico and Attanasio, her mother- and father-in-law, Gaetano and Annamaria Mezzasalma, and sisters-in-law Mary, Gina and Clelia.

Rosa’s love for her family was at the heart of her life, and her memory will remain a lasting source of comfort and love to those she leaves behind. She will be lovingly remembered and forever cherished by her family and friends. Her love, kindness, and devotion to those around her will live on in the generations she leaves behind.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 27th 3-7 PM 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, September 28th 9:30 AM 

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Church, 110-06 Queens Blvd. Forest Hills, New York 11375

Interment to follow at Maple Grove Cemetery, Kew Gardens, NY.