Rocco “Rocky” Monforte

Rocco Anthony Monforte, of Endwell, passed away on Friday, June 30, 2017. He was the beloved husband for 60 years of Dorothy (Brezowsky) Monforte, father of Lissa Connelly and Michele (Shelly) Monforte, grandfather of Hannah Connelly Boemmels, father-in-law of George McCroy, and grandfather-in-law of William Boemmels. He is also survived by his sister, Faye Hinze Monforte, his brother, Joseph Monforte, and his sister-in-law, Marguerite Monforte. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Mary Monforte, his brothers Pat Monforte and Marty Monforte, their spouses, his brother-in-law Lou Hinze, and his aunts and uncles. He also was predeceased by his sisters-in-law Helen Valachovic, Ann Cross, Mary Maston, and Pauline Scherer. His family includes so many dearly-loved cousins, nieces, nephews, and godchildren, plus their spouses and children as well. He was fortunate for many years to have the Clarks and the Cawleys as neighbors. After serving breakfast and lunch for 56 years at the IBM Country Club, Rocky never went anywhere without meeting someone he knew. His circle of friends grew larger after he retired, to include his friends at the Acropolis diner and at Arby’s, the Oakdale Mall walkers, and his daughter Lissa’s friends and neighbors. A veteran of the Korean War, he enjoyed sitting down to breakfast on Fridays with his friends in the Korean community. For the past twelve years he was honored by MacArthur School (Binghamton) on Veteran’s Day, where he exchanged salutes and smiles with the school children. Rocky will be remembered by his granddaughter, Hannah, for never missing a single sports game or any of her four graduations. He will be missed also by a variety of family pets. If his family had a drop of water for each time they heard someone say what a wonderful person Rocky was, those drops would fill all the world’s oceans. He was a blessing to us all. The family thanks all of Rocky’s doctors, nurses, the EMTs and firefighters, and the other healthcare workers at UHS and Lourdes.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday 12 pm at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 306 Odell Avenue, Endicott. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at church Thursday from 10 am to 11:45 am. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Rocky’s memory may be made to the St. Francis Ministry, c/o Sister Anisia Muthoni, St. Anthony’s Church, 304 Oak Hill Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760.