Rose A Puleo

Rose A. (Santa Maria) Puleo, 97, a long-time Worcester resident, passed away on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at Holden Nursing and Rehabilitation.  She is now reunited with her husband of forty-six years, Joseph A. Puleo, who predeceased her in 1992. 

Rose is survived by her sons, Anthony Puleo and his wife Patricia of Auburn and Richard J. Puleo and his wife Carole of Holden; two brothers, John B. Santa Maria of Millbury, and Joseph A. Santa Maria of Uxbridge; two sisters, Antoinette “Annette” Santa Maria of Worcester, and Ann Marie DiVerdi of West Boylston; three grandchildren, Nancy Puleo, Christina Puleo and her husband Christopher McMahon, and Laura Puleo; three great grandchildren, Anna, Julia, and Ava; many nieces and nephews.  Rose was predeceased by a grandson, Anthony Puleo in 2016.  She was also predeceased by six siblings, Cornelia Martone, Mary Rucci, Esther Nozzolillo, Frank, Michael, and Matteo Santa Maria.  Rose was born in West Boylston, daughter of the late, Angelo and Nancy (Bisceglia) Santa Maria.

Rose was a talented hair-dresser for many years at Leo’s Beauty Salon, and often times set up shop in her kitchen.  She was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Rose enjoyed knitting and crocheting but was best known for filling her home with friends and family and treating them to her world class baking.

Calling Hours for Rose will be on Monday, June 21, from 8:30 a.m. until 10:15 a.m. in MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester, then departing the funeral home, in procession for an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Loreto Church, 33 Massasoit Road, Worcester.  Interment will follow at Saint John’s Cemetery.

*The Funeral Mass will be "live streamed" and can be viewed by visiting the funeral home website and selecting "live services".

We would like to thank the many staff members at Holden Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center for their care and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Research in honor of her grandson Anthony by visiting www.danafarber.org.