Madelyn M. (Rocchio) Dee

Madelyn M. Dee, the best Grammy ever, passed on October 11th, at the age of 96, after an amazing and full life. She was the daughter of Anthony and Antonetta (Pelosi) Rocchio, Italian immigrants who sent all five of their children to college, which was incredibly progressive for that time.

She was the dearest and most devoted of mothers as well as a professional worrier, which didn’t pay well. A Brown University (Pembroke) graduate, she was an avid reader with a sparkling intelligence and a bright sense of humor. She loved to laugh, but abhorred the scatological.

She was a devoted spouse to her college crush, Bob. In addition to her intellect and Ivy League education, she was always involved in the community and our schools. In our elementary school, she was the “Picture Lady,” teaching us about art. She taught Great Books and was part of a book club for many years. She was persistently impatient, passionately Democratic, and intensely proud of her four children. She treasured her beach house in Misquamicut, especially when it was filled with family.

In her later life, her grandson Luca was her greatest joy.

She was always up for an adventure, and was a lifelong globe trotter, beginning with crossing the Atlantic on the Ile de France for a five-week European exploration as a college student. She took many trips with her husband, from the Swiss Alps to Morocco to Barbados. And, when she was older than she’d like to admit, she generously took her whole family on a number of exotic vacations. She was always up for fun, whether it was being the oldest person at the Paul McCartney concert in New Orleans, or riding go karts and playing air hockey and skee ball in the arcade with Luca. She loved her family outings to the casino and was a dedicated slot machine aficionado.

Throughout her life, she was told she looked decades younger than her age, and she absolutely did, due to her dedication to her own health, which was only exceeded by her continuous pursuit of health and nutrition for her family.  She loved food, but disliked cooking, which didn’t stop her from providing us with the healthiest possible meals and religiously tracking all the latest health trends. She was physically fit and active throughout her life, including decades of playing tennis, skiing, and swimming, and thousands of miles of walking with assorted family members and friends.

Even in her final decade, she took up kayaking and cycling on her three-wheeled bike, ending with being happily chauffeured around Misquamicut by Luca in her tandem, elaborately decorated disco beach bike.

She taught us all how to overcome adversity. She remained a joyful and hopeful person despite enduring tremendous loss in her life, from losing her brother Charlie in World War II, to the tragic loss of her eldest son, Bobby, followed by the loss of her beloved husband, Robert K. Dee, and then her identical twin sister, Angelyn Kiernan, who was also her best friend.

An exceptional conversationalist, she had the ability to make everyone she spoke with feel heard because she was genuinely interested in their lives.  She was a master of the lost art of handwritten letters and cards, which many recipients count as treasured keepsakes. She impacted everyone in her life with her kindness and compassion, her generous nature and overflowing, abundant love.

She was predeceased by her brother Robert Rocchio, along with those mentioned above. She is survived by her sister, Elena Rocchio, and by her children, Richard and his wife Bonnie, Nancy and her husband Thomas Zorabedian, David and his wife Olivia DeFrancesco, her “fourth son” Fred Joyal, and her grandson, Luca, whom she titled her “Renaissance Boy.” No one has ever loved a grandchild more than she loved Luca. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews who treasured her.

Though we will miss her forever, her loving, kind spirit will be with us for all of our days.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday October 20th at 1:00 pm at the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main St., East Greenwich. Burial will be private. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Memorial contributions may be given to www.rifoodbank.org