Obituary for Dorothy C. Giovanelli (Rostek)
“Roll out the barrel, we’ll have a barrel of fun!” Let the polka party begin! The last of eight Rostek siblings is now in heaven and the family is complete.
My mom, Dorothy “Dottie” Giovanelli, died peacefully Monday evening, December 23, 2019, while doing her favorite thing: watching old movies on TV with my dad. She was the daughter of the late Valenty and Paulina (Zielinski) Rostek.
For 66 wonderful years, she was the beloved wife of Nicholas Giovanelli. She could drive him a bit crazy sometimes; she was a force of nature, but there was deep love and mutual respect between them. She was my mom for 65 years, and I loved her dearly; well, maybe except for those teenage years!
Dottie was a track star during the 1950 Olympics, and won a gold medal; a high-kicking Rockette at Radio City Music Hall; and a tough, roller derby girl, who ended up on that TV show about gals roller derby in the ‘70s. Well, she really didn’t do any of those things, but while we were talking about end-of-life, she told me to ramp-up her obituary. She loved reading about other people’s exciting lives! “Do you think those stories are really true?” she would ask.
Dottie did indeed run on the track team while in school. She was also one of the girls who went by bus to Indiantown Gap to dance with our soldiers stationed there. And, she did love to roller skate.
Dottie worked at many of the local clothing factories in Reading, including Vanity Fair. After retiring, she was a volunteer in the cafeteria at St. John Baptist de la Salle school, and volunteered for 15 years at the Mifflin Center, saying the rosary with the residents. She loved the Blessed Mother, and kept her close.
Dottie spoke her mind, was loud and brash, kind and loving, and one of the funniest people I knew. She would keep everyone in stitches with her stories. I wish I could list them all so you could laugh along with me, but I know these obituaries can get expensive, and the money she left me in my Christmas card won’t cover the cost! Her life was exciting to us, and that’s all that mattered.
My dad is a quiet and humble man, and the exact opposite of my mom. They met while dad was playing in a band; she sat on the bus next to him, and that was it! She always said “she chased him until he caught her.” Her five sisters were her best friends, and she missed them terribly when they passed. Their husbands, my cousins and I would be in awe of these six women; chatting loudly and on top of one another with difference conversations going on. But they somehow managed to still understand what each were saying!
Dottie is survived by my dad, Nick; me, their daughter, Dee Bernardo; and her son-in-law Fred Bernardo, who would tease her all the time - she would just love it! She is also survived by her step-grandchildren: Justin Bernardo and his wife Heidi; and Cori Bernardo, and her husband Nick.
She was “GiGi” to her great grandchildren Benny and Aiden, who she loved dearly, and she is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Dottie was predeceased by her seven siblings: Stella LePage, Teddy Rostek, Lottie DeWald, Ceil Moyer, Genevieve Daniels Redd, Walter Rostek, and Margie Davis.
My dad and I would like to thank the kind and caring residents and staff at the Heritage of Green Hills, where she and dad lived, and Tower Health’s caring nurses, especially Sylvia on N2, who really made my mom laugh.
My mom was 87 years old, going on 50. Meticulous about her hair, makeup and wardrobe. Until a few weeks ago, she lived her life with gusto and laughter. It’s a little hard getting used to the quiet…she will be greatly missed.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Dottie on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at 10:00am at St. John Baptist de la Salle RC Church, 42 Kerrick Road, Shillington, PA 19607, followed by entombment at Gethsemane Cemetery. A public viewing will be held Tuesday from 8:30-10:00am in the Church.
Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
My mom, Dorothy “Dottie” Giovanelli, died peacefully Monday evening, December 23, 2019, while doing her favorite thing: watching old movies on TV with my dad. She was the daughter of the late Valenty and Paulina (Zielinski) Rostek.
For 66 wonderful years, she was the beloved wife of Nicholas Giovanelli. She could drive him a bit crazy sometimes; she was a force of nature, but there was deep love and mutual respect between them. She was my mom for 65 years, and I loved her dearly; well, maybe except for those teenage years!
Dottie was a track star during the 1950 Olympics, and won a gold medal; a high-kicking Rockette at Radio City Music Hall; and a tough, roller derby girl, who ended up on that TV show about gals roller derby in the ‘70s. Well, she really didn’t do any of those things, but while we were talking about end-of-life, she told me to ramp-up her obituary. She loved reading about other people’s exciting lives! “Do you think those stories are really true?” she would ask.
Dottie did indeed run on the track team while in school. She was also one of the girls who went by bus to Indiantown Gap to dance with our soldiers stationed there. And, she did love to roller skate.
Dottie worked at many of the local clothing factories in Reading, including Vanity Fair. After retiring, she was a volunteer in the cafeteria at St. John Baptist de la Salle school, and volunteered for 15 years at the Mifflin Center, saying the rosary with the residents. She loved the Blessed Mother, and kept her close.
Dottie spoke her mind, was loud and brash, kind and loving, and one of the funniest people I knew. She would keep everyone in stitches with her stories. I wish I could list them all so you could laugh along with me, but I know these obituaries can get expensive, and the money she left me in my Christmas card won’t cover the cost! Her life was exciting to us, and that’s all that mattered.
My dad is a quiet and humble man, and the exact opposite of my mom. They met while dad was playing in a band; she sat on the bus next to him, and that was it! She always said “she chased him until he caught her.” Her five sisters were her best friends, and she missed them terribly when they passed. Their husbands, my cousins and I would be in awe of these six women; chatting loudly and on top of one another with difference conversations going on. But they somehow managed to still understand what each were saying!
Dottie is survived by my dad, Nick; me, their daughter, Dee Bernardo; and her son-in-law Fred Bernardo, who would tease her all the time - she would just love it! She is also survived by her step-grandchildren: Justin Bernardo and his wife Heidi; and Cori Bernardo, and her husband Nick.
She was “GiGi” to her great grandchildren Benny and Aiden, who she loved dearly, and she is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Dottie was predeceased by her seven siblings: Stella LePage, Teddy Rostek, Lottie DeWald, Ceil Moyer, Genevieve Daniels Redd, Walter Rostek, and Margie Davis.
My dad and I would like to thank the kind and caring residents and staff at the Heritage of Green Hills, where she and dad lived, and Tower Health’s caring nurses, especially Sylvia on N2, who really made my mom laugh.
My mom was 87 years old, going on 50. Meticulous about her hair, makeup and wardrobe. Until a few weeks ago, she lived her life with gusto and laughter. It’s a little hard getting used to the quiet…she will be greatly missed.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Dottie on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at 10:00am at St. John Baptist de la Salle RC Church, 42 Kerrick Road, Shillington, PA 19607, followed by entombment at Gethsemane Cemetery. A public viewing will be held Tuesday from 8:30-10:00am in the Church.
Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.