Rosaria Freda

Rosaria Freda (Santoro), a friend to the community and devoted family woman, passed away peacefully on December 24th, 2020, at the age of 92. 

Rosaria was born on February 29th, 1928, and raised in Deliceto, Italy,  where she lived through the Great Depression and World War II.  There, she met the love of her life, Vincenzo Freda, a profoundly talented tailor.  In 1949, the pair decided to cross the seas and start a new life in America – landing in New York with a daughter in hand and the clothes on their backs as their only possessions.  She was an extremely talented seamstress and embroiderer, and she excelled in many jobs to help her family rise out of poverty, finally deciding to help her husband run a tailor shop in Newark, New Jersey, during the tumultuous 1960’s and 1970’s.
 

In 1982, Rosaria and her husband moved to Sonoma, California, where they worked as a pair tailoring for the community.  She was an avid member of the Catholic church, and her door was always open to anyone wanting some fresh Italian cooking.  Her straight-talk and laughter attracted many friends, and she was famous at grocery stores up and down the California coast for her demands of the highest quality food available. 
 

In 2001, after the passing of her husband, Rosaria moved to Thousand Oaks, California, where she lived out her days with love and care as the matriarch of her family, whom without her, would not have the lives we live today.  She is survived by her two children, Vincent Freda Jr. and Antoinette Wagner, and her five grandchildren: Sarina, Sophia, and Michael Freda; Heather and Elissa Wagner. 
 

She will be deeply missed and remembered in the art that we create, in the songs that we sing, in the games that we play, in the food that we make, and the strength that we share. When asked what her secret to a long life was, she replied “just keep moving.”  For our bella Nonna, we always will. 
 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions there will be a private graveside service on January 4th, 2021. 
 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her memory to:  
Attn:  Barbara Farmer 
Saint Jude the Apostle Church 
32032 W. Lindero Canyon 
Westlake Village, CA 91361 
https://saintjudetheapostle.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/GeneralCollection/donate

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rosaria Freda, please visit our floral store.