Patricia DeRosa

Lowellville - Patricia DeRosa, 88, a longtime resident of Lowellville, passed peacefully Monday January 13, 2025, at Aultman Woodlawn Compassionate Care Center in Canton, OH. 

Patti was born December 27, 1936 in Youngstown, OH, the daughter of Joseph and Dorothy (Stanovcak) Leason. 

Patti was a graduate of Lowellville High School in 1954 and received her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Youngstown State University in 1975. She began her 20 year teaching career at Saint Stanislaus Catholic School in 1975 until going to Leetonia High School where she was a Special Education Teacher for 15 years. Patti had many hobbies and outside interests in addition to her teaching career. Along with her husband, she volunteered much of her time in the summer to volunteering for the Special Olympics along with AAU Track & Field events for over 20 years. Some of her many hobbies included ceramics, needlepointing and scrapbooking, but, her greatest treasure was spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed watching her son and grandson referee basketball games in person or on television. She also attended every sporting event for her sons while growing up and continued with her grandchildren.

 Patti leaves her two sons, former NBA Referee Joseph M. (Patti) DeRosa of Canton, OH., and Dr. Robert (Terri) DeRosa of Toledo, OH who is the chairman of the OB/GYN Department of Toledo Hospital; four grandchildren, Valerie (Dan) Stanley, Current NBA Referee J.B. (Caitlin) DeRosa, Grace (Eric) Metz, and Tony DeRosa. Patti also leaves her five great-grandchildren, twins, Eva and Isaac Stanley, Joslin, and Joseph (JT) DeRosa, and Lucy Metz. 

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joe DeRosa; and brother Joseph Robert Leason. 

An hour of visitation will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church, 131 E. Wood St., Lowellville, OH 44436. A committal service will follow at Holy Rosary Cemetery, Lowellville.

 In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Patti's name to the Special Olympics of Ohio, under the donation tab at https://sooh.org.

 Arrangements are being handled by Cunningham-Becker Funeral Home in Lowellville. 

Online condolences may be made at www.beckerobits.com.