Obituary of Rosemary McGlone

Rosemary Ptashinski (married name) McGlone, passed away July 8th, 2023 at Aristacare in Whiting, NJ, at the age of 85, after a long battle with mental health illness and other medical conditions.  

Born April 12,1938 in Irvington, NJ Rosemary was the eldest child of Joseph & Concetta McGlone.  She attended Irvington High School where she met her husband, Stanley Robert Ptashinski. Throughout her life, Rosemary resided in a few different locations - After getting married, she and her husband settled in Union, NJ.  Eventually they moved to Basking Ridge, NJ where they raised their children and lived for over 30 years.  They resided there until the passing of her husband in 1997.  A few years after, she moved to Manalapan, NJ to a lovely community and townhome. She would last reside in Barnegat, NJ where she purchased a small home so that she could be closer to the summer home they had bought in 1974 in Surf City, Long Beach Island.  This was her happy place and where would spend every weekend and vacation.

Rosemary, or Ro, as many called her, was predeceased by her husband of 35 years and is survived by her two children Kevin Robert Ptashinski and Leslie Ptashinski Pardo, and two grandchildren, Emily Grace Ptashinski and Lillianna Rose Pardo.

Through most of her adult life, Rosemary was an avid runner, and could be seen traipsing around town, every day, through rain, snow, or the scorching summer sun - trotting around in her bandana and "Jacki-O" sunglasses. She also enjoyed spending time with family, knitting, attending the opera with her sisters, sister in law or friends, going to parties at the Surf City Yacht Club and hosting Christmas Day dinner every year. She was a devout Catholic for many years. But perhaps what Ro loved to do most was dance - whether with her husband by her side, or 2-stepping by herself, she used to joke that she wanted "I'd rather be dancing" put on her gravestone. 

Rosemary held many jobs throughout her life - At an early age her first job was as an Executive Secretary for Fidelity Union Trust company.  From there she moved on to Keys Martin Advertising agency in her early twenties, then went on to hold a few other miscellaneous jobs while raising her children.  Later in her life, she would work at AT&T as a Human Resource Manager - where she would eventually retire after 15 years of service.  Upon her retirement, she took up a position at a Medical Accounting Firm in Bernardsville. When she moved to Manalapan, she held a small job at a horse boarding farm - a position she truly enjoyed and opened her eyes to her hidden love for animals.

Her family would like to invite friends and family to join them for a memorial service at Gallaway & Crane Funeral Home in Basking Ridge on Wednesday, July 12th from 6-8 pm.  A funeral service will be held at 11 am at Gallaway & Crane on July 13th, with a burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Basking Ridge.  A repass luncheon will be served at The Grain House in Basking Ridge.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), http://www.nami.org.