Rose M. Burgess' Obituary
Rose M. Burgess Resident of Fremont Jan. 23, 1919 – Nov. 10, 2011 Rose passed away peacefully from natural causes with her son and daughter at her side. She was 92 years old. A lifelong resident of Niles, she was one of four children of Victor and Carmela Cattaneo. Her brother, John, and sisters Molly and Mary proceeded her in death. From an early age Rose knew that she wanted to be a school teacher. She accompanied her older brother, John, to his first grade class, assisting him in his studies because she could understand English, while he only knew Italian. Her formal teacher training came while attending San Jose State College from which she graduated in 1940. She obtained her teaching credential in May of 1941. That same month she married Dick Burgess and moved with him to Reno, Nevada and then Prescott, Arizona while Dick was working as a flight instructor in the Civilian Pilot Training program. In 1944, when Dick began pilot training to become a naval aviator in New Orleans, Rose returned to California to live in Vallejo with her family. Rose traveled to Illinois after Dick received his navy wings and was assigned to the Glenview NAS as a primary flight instructor. After the war they returned to California and lived in Laytonville, in the northern part of the state, and then briefly in Castro Valley before settling in Niles. Her long teaching career at the Niles Elementary School began in 1953, and then continued at Hacienda Elementary until she retired in 1984. Rose died almost exactly one year to the day of Dick’s passing in 2010. She is survived by her children Chris Rebello and Rick Burgess; son-in-law Ron Rebello; grandchildren Ron Rebello Jr. and wife, Krista; Cassie O’Rourke; Hilary and Holly Burgess; and great-grand-children Natalie and Lilia Rebello; and Alex, Lucas, and Hannah O’Rourke. All are residents of Fremont. Rose also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. A funeral Mass to celebrate her life will be held at Corpus Christi Church in Niles on Friday, December 2nd at 10:00 am
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