Obituary of Rosemarie Altieri

Rosemarie Altieri passed away peacefully on March 5, 2026 at her home in Stratford, Connecticut. She was 94 years old. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Anthony and Emma (Bonci) Battistelli on October 4, 1931, she was the oldest of the four Battistelli children and grew up on Mill Hill Avenue in Bridgeport. After graduating from Lincoln Grammar School and Warren Harding High School, Rosemarie moved to Washington, DC where she attended Trinity College, the first Catholic liberal arts college for women in the U.S., graduating in 1953 with a B.A., majoring in the Classics.

After graduation, Rosemarie returned to Connecticut and worked at McKesson Laboratories in Bridgeport, Connecticut in the personnel department. During this time, she met her husband, Patsy Altieri, and they were married at St. Ambrose Church on Mill Hill Avenue in 1959. Two years later, Rosemarie and Pat became proud parents of twins, Catherine and Paul, and Rosemarie left the workforce to care for her family.

Teaching, music and her religious faith were three constants in Rosemarie's life.

In 1968, Rosemarie was offered a first-grade teaching position at St. Charles Parish School in Bridgeport, the grammar school that her children attended. She accepted the role, and this led to her having a 25+ year career as an elementary school teacher at both St. Charles and, in her later teaching years, at St. Joseph's Catholic School in Shelton, Connecticut. Rosemarie was a well-respected educator and disciplinarian and, over the years, taught hundreds of fourth graders reading, writing, math, the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments.

Music also played a big part in Rosemarie's life. As a teenager and young adult, she learned to play the piano as well as the Hammond organ that her parents had in the family living room. By happenstance, when St. Charles Parish was in need of an organist in the 1970's, the pastor found out about Rosemarie's music skills, and this led to her working, not only as a teacher during the week, but as the church organist on the weekends. Rosemarie played the pipe organ at many a mass, wedding and funeral. She touched the lives of fellow parishioners over the years and built many lasting friendships along the way.

In retirement and her later years, Rosemarie and her husband and best friend, Pat, became inseparable, spending all of their time together, taking care of their grandchildren, attending church services, caring for the home that they loved in Stratford, cooking (Italian cookies and pasta with ragù sauce come to mind) and being with her beloved sister, Gloria, and other family and friends.

Rosemarie's life was centered around her family and she was happiest when surrounded by them. She was a quiet role model and a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

In addition to her husband Patsy of 66+ years, other survivors include her children, Catherine Birch and her husband, Timothy, of Wilton, and Paul Altieri and his wife, Bonnie, of Skillman, New Jersey; her adored grandchildren, Alexander Birch and his wife, Francesca, Christopher Birch, Daniel Altieri and Steven Altieri; her sister, Gloria Battistelli; sister-in-law, Arlene Battistelli, brother-in-law, Ed Gernat, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and brother, Edward Battistelli, and her sister, Louise Gernat.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mark Church, 500 Wigwam Lane, Stratford. Interment will follow at St. Michael Cemetery in Stratford. Friends may greet the family on Tuesday, March 10th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church for the needs of the parish. For online condolences, please visit us at www.abriola.com.