Rose Rizk

WATERBURY Mrs. Rose "Rosie" Rizk, 97, of Waterbury, honored daughter, wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend, entered into eternal rest on January 25, 2008, at the Cheshire House Health Center. She is the daughter of the late Salim and Nazha Ghantous of Lebanon, and wife of the late Fuad Rizk. She and her husband maintained deep ties to the Waterbury area, and left a legacy of a strong work ethic, dedication to family, and a deep and abiding love to God and country.

Mrs. Rizk was born May 7, 1910, in Maassir El-Chouf, Lebanon, and attended school there while being the primary caregiver for her parents. Upon immigrating to the United States in 1947, she and Fuad were married. Together, they owned and operated Rizk's Liquor Store on North Main Street. After Fuad's passing in 1954, she joined with her sister Adele and brother-in-law, former Waterbury Alderman and Fire Commissioner, Naim A. Rizk, to form Rizk's Corner Store and Deli on the corner of North Main and Elizabeth Streets. She made her home on Idylwood Avenue and remained there until the early 1990s when she moved to The Village at East Farms. She has been a long-time member of SS. Peter & Paul Church in Waterbury.

After her retirement, she continued to devote her life to her family, forging especially strong relationships with her granddaughters, with whom she made thousands of memories and spoiled as much as possible. Rosie (or "Sitto," as she was known by her granddaughters and their friends) loved cooking and enjoyed nothing more than to have her kitchen full of family and friends. Her "green thumb" offered her extreme pleasure and allowed her garden to be a beautiful place of serenity. She relished the fact that she was in her 90s when she flew for the first time on an airplane to visit one of her granddaughters at work in Florida, and was thrilled to hold a place of honor and process into church for another granddaughter's wedding Mass. Rosie's indomitable spirit, sparkling laugh, and high energy have always been a source of strength and joy to all who have the privilege of knowing her.

Rosie will be deeply missed and forever loved by her daughter Linda A. Noujaim and son-in-law, State Representative Selim Noujaim of Waterbury; daughter Denise S. Rizk of Waterbury; granddaughters Bridget M. Noujaim of Waterbury, Rebecca L. Noujaim of New York, New York; Jessica R. Cusato and her husband Fortunato Cusato of Westchester, New York, and dozens of nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends throughout Connecticut and Lebanon. She was predeceased by her cherished older siblings, Adele, Najla, Sanioura, and George.

Her family would like to especially thank the hardworking and loving employees at the Cheshire House and the Village at East Farms for their support and caring over the past few years.

Funeral services for Mrs. Rizk will be held on Monday, January 28, 2008 at 11:00am from the Casey-O'Donnell Family Funeral Home 1581 East Main St. Waterbury to SS Peter & Paul Church 167 Southmayd Rd. Waterbury for a Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00PM. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Family and friends may visit at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon from 3-6pm.

In lieu of flowers, Rosie's family requests that memorial contributions in her honor be made to the Restoration Fund of Waterbury's Holy Land Cross through Holy Land Peace Cross, c/o 474 East Road, Bristol, CT 06010, or to the Waterbury ARC, 1929 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06705.