Obituary of Rose Fernandez

FERNANDEZ, Rose of Wyckoff died peacefully on Thursday, April 18, 2013, six days after celebrating her 90th birthday. Rose was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. In August of 1964, Rose and her husband Joseph moved from Paramus to Wyckoff and opened their family business, Wyckoff Florist and Gifts, where she served many customers with great dedication for over 40 years. Rose resided at Van Dyk Park Place Assisted Living since 2010. Throughout the years she resided in Wyckoff, Rose gave back to her community in a variety of ways and touched the lives of many. As a result, in 2000, Rose had the distinct honor of being named the Wyckoff YMCA's Woman of the Year. Rose was a member of the board of directors for the Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber annually presents the Rose M. Fernandez Scholarship Award to a high school senior. She was also a member of the Wyckoff Lions Club, the Wyckoff/Midland Park Rotary Club and a member of the board of directors for the Wyckoff YMCA. She was a parishioner of Church of St. Elizabeth where she was a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Liturgy Committee and the Rosary Society. Rose was an Assistant Professor of Foods & Nutrition at St. Elizabeth College in Convent Station and taught Horticulture at Bergen Community College. Surviving are her devoted sons and their wives, Joseph and Jeanie Fernandez of Oakland, N.J., and James and Dolores Fernandez of Midland Park, N.J. Rose also leaves her five adoring grandchildren, Katherine, Cassandra, James, Daniel and Joseph, and her dear sister Rae LaMagna and sister-in-law Frances Salerno as well as many special nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband Joseph in 1978, her sons John in 1979 and William in 1962, and her brother James Salerno in 2012. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, April 22, 2013, at 10:00 at Church of St. Elizabeth, 700 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff, N.J. Interment will follow in Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah. Visiting is Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home (www.vpfh.com), 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.