Getting to Know Our Neighbors: Rose Marie DeMaio
By Pat Hurleigh
A Life Well-Lived: RoseMarie DeMaio’s Story
This week, Marilyn Holland and I had the privilege of visiting RoseMarie DeMaio, a longtime resident of East Williston with a remarkable life story.
Born in 1938, RoseMarie grew up on a 250-acre farm and boarding house in Bethel, New York, nestled in the Catskill Mountains. The farm had a picturesque lake and rolling hills, and her parents welcomed vacationers from the Bronx and Brooklyn seeking a summer retreat, as well as hunters in the fall. However, one event in particular stands out in RoseMarie’s memory—her visit to the farm in August 1969.
A Front-Row Seat to History
That summer, thousands of young people overran her parents’ property in what would become the world-famous Woodstock festival. She vividly recalls the bad weather, traffic jams, live music, and even a baby being born on her front lawn. Festivalgoers swam in their lake, used their rowboats, and slid in the mud. Many came to their door begging to use their phone, which was on a party line, while others, desperate for food, received hard-boiled eggs from her mother.
The aftermath was overwhelming—their property was left covered in garbage. But despite the chaos, it was a peaceful gathering, she noted.
A Life of Love and Learning
RoseMarie attended St. John’s University, graduating in 1960. Since there were no dormitories at the time, she boarded with local families while completing her studies. After graduation, she began her teaching career upstate before moving to Huntington, Long Island, where she continued teaching and met her future husband, Dominick.
Their relationship had an unexpected start—meeting through friends in September but not initially impressed with each other. Over time, their friendship grew into love, leading to their engagement in December and marriage in June 1964.
After living in Douglaston and Westbury, they settled in East Williston in April 1972, where they have happily lived ever since.
Family and Community
RoseMarie and Dominick have two daughters, both of whom still live on Long Island, and two granddaughters, both carrying the middle name Marie in honor of their grandmother.
Once her daughters were older, RoseMarie returned to teaching, first as a substitute teacher in various districts before becoming a Resource Room teacher for 11 years, retiring in 2001.
Passions and Pastimes
These days, RoseMarie enjoys reading the newspaper and solving puzzles. She is an avid book lover, belonging to two reading groups at the East Williston Library. She has a steadfast rule—once she starts a book, she must finish it, whether she likes it or not. Her favorite genre? Autobiographies, which often keep her reading late into the night. As a result, she’s not an early riser, instead sharing brunch at 11 AM with Dominick each morning after he returns from church.
She also enjoys attending the East Williston Senior Citizens group once a month and is a devoted member of St. Aidan’s Church.
A Place to Call Home
For RoseMarie, East Williston is more than just a residence—it’s a beautiful and welcoming community. She lovingly describes it as “God’s little Eden on Earth”, grateful that she and Dominick have found such a wonderful place to call home.
