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Filomena Rossi Marciw of Southampton died on June 14 at the Westhampton Care Center, surrounded by her family. She was 93.
Born in Brooklyn on October 19, 1920, she was the daughter of Peter and Lucy Rossi from Machia, Italy. She attended Girls High in Brooklyn, then the Katharine Gibbs School. She became secretary for Jasper Kane, a biochemist at Pfizer who was credited with moving antibiotics like penicillin from the lab into industrial production during World War II and who later became vice president and director of biochemical research at Pfizer. She worked for him for more than 10 years, living with her family in Brooklyn before moving to the Poconos, where her father purchased 100 acres as a summer family retreat.
The family went on to start one of the first honeymoon resorts in the Poconos, Pocono Gardens Lodge with the famed Hubby and Chubby bears. The resort was the first to feature individual cottages with sunken Roman tubs for honeymooners.
She married Steve Marciw on May 5, 1951, celebrating 63 years just last month. They continued to run the resort with other members of the family until it was sold in 1971.
The couple, along with daughters Marianne, Nancy and Liz, then moved to Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania, where they were active in the Cottager’s League, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and Pocono Central Catholic High School, to name a few. Ms. Marciw went to work as a legal secretary for a private firm, while helping run Planned Successful Meetings with her husband until 2000.
In 2000 they moved to Southampton, where Ms. Marciw volunteered at Southampton Hospital Thrift Shop for several years. She enjoyed needlepoint, cross stitch and sewing, and helped with the creation of banners at the Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. She was an avid golfer, a Girl Scout troop leader, poet, Scrabble player and fantastic cook, but most especially loved her grandchildren, survivors said.
She is survived by her husband, Steve; three daughters, Marianne Marciw of New Jersey, Nancy Marciw Warren and husband Richard of Southampton, and Elizabeth Marciw Griffin and husband Bob of Massachusetts; and grandchildren, Christopher and Sarah Warren, and Erin and Peter Griffin.
A memorial service will be held on July 1 at 10 a.m. at the Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Southampton.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.
on Jun 17, 2014