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Rose Guercio Cozzani

Rose Guercio Cozzani died Saturday, March 1, 2008. She was 100.

Mrs. Cozzani was born March 10, 1907, in Plaquemine, La., the eldest daughter of Angela DiFrancesca Guercio and Salvatore Guercio. She graduated in the class of 1926 from Sacred Heart High School in Hattiesburg and, from 1931 until 1941, she worked for National Life and Accident Insurance Company of Nashville with offices in Natchez and later in Vicksburg.

She married Anthony Cozzani in 1947. She and Tony were active communicants of St. Paul Catholic Church for many years and later were founding members of St. Michael Catholic Church, where she was an active member of the Altar Society for more than 40 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony “Tony” Cozzani; four brothers, James, Thomas, Joseph and Jake Guercio; and two sisters, Elizabeth Guercio and Josephine Serio.

She is survived by two sisters-in-law, Marguerite Guercio of Hattiesburg and Clarene Guercio of Natchez; and nieces, nephews and many friends special to her including Ann Watkins Timbs of Moorhead, Lynn Watkins Betbeze of Okolona and James Watkins of Florence.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael Catholic Church with the Rev. P.J. Curley, pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery under the direction of Riles Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 until 7 tonight at Riles Funeral Home with a wake service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Michael Catholic Church until the hour of the service.

Pallbearers will be Allen Hoggatt, Timothy Timbs, Paul Banchetti, Gene Henegan, Skipper Guizerix III and Guercio nephews.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the St. Michael Catholic Church Altar Society.

Memorials may be made to St. Michael Catholic Church, 100 St. Michael Place, Vicksburg, MS 39180 or to the Anthony Cozzani Memorial Scholarship Trust in care of The Catholic Foundation, 237 East Amite St., Jackson, MS 39201-2405.