Maryrose Deignan Giardina died peacefully on October 12, 2021 surrounded by her loving family and friends. The cause of death was due to complications from cancer.
Maryrose was born on October 5, 1942 in Newark, New Jersey to James and Winifred Deignan. She graduated from Mount St. Dominic's Academy in Caldwell and entered Georgetown University as one of the first of twenty-five women admitted to its School of Foreign Service. Her career path veered from diplomacy to world travel when she began working for the airlines and affiliated hotels while greatly enjoying the travel benefits that came with her employment.

She met her husband Jeffry in the summer of 1969; they were introduced by a former Georgetown classmate who had served in the US Army with Jeffry in Vietnam.  After living in NYC for a short time, they moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn in 1971 and, subsequently, to Dutchess County, Clinton Corners in 1977 and Millbrook in 1988, where they have lived for the past 45 years and raised their daughter, Antonia. Maryrose enjoyed a thriving real estate career with HW Guernsey in Millbrook and had the honor of being its longest serving active agent.

Maryrose will be forever loved by her husband, Jeffry; daughter Antonia and her husband, Zachary Knepper; her grandchildren, Kiara and Kaden, her sister, Martina, brothers-in-law, Douglas and Jay; sister-in-law, Sandra; nephew Xiao and many, many cousins and friends. Her sense of humor, culinary skills, generosity, and enjoyment of life will never be forgotten.

A celebration of Maryrose's life will be held in the coming weeks. As an alternative to flowers, please consider donations to Calvary Hospital, Bronx, NY or The African Wildlife Foundation.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Allen Funeral Home, Millbrook, NY