Rose Adrianna Leigh-Manuell

Rose Adrianna Sanders Leigh-Manuell was born to Tillie and Cornelius Sanders on December 31, 1918. A tiny, premature baby, Rose was placed in a shoebox and in the oven on a very low temperature as a makeshift incubator. She often joked that it worked because she survived but she didn’t get much bigger. Those early days showed her resilience and it would serve her throughout her life.

Rose’s early life centered around her big sister Josephine and their father’s fishing business. Cornelius would go out on his boat and come in with his catch at the end of the day. Rose and Josephine awaited her father’s arrival on the dock with their mother and did their part to help him. Her parents  would unload the fish into crates, Josephine would put ice over them, and Rose would be responsible for nailing the crates shut. She had her first job at 4 years old and she was expected to keep up.

Rose attended Sayville schools and was a good student, mostly earning A’s and B’s. What she enjoyed  about school was the social aspect. She had a lot of friends and looked back upon her school days fondly. Rose graduated from Sayville High School in 1936. She enjoyed participating in the parade of classes at graduation ceremonies and did so at her grandson’s graduation, even though she was the only participant from 1936. She remarked just recently that her 90 year high school reunion was this year but she would be the only attendee.

After graduating from Sayville High School Rose worked, saving money so she could marry Darrell Leigh-Manuell, whom she had been dating for some time. On November 21, 1940, Rose and her sister Josephine had a double wedding.  It was Thanksgiving Day. Rose married Darrell and Josephine married Peter Sluiter. The sisters moved into the same house with their new husbands with one couple living upstairs and the other living downstairs. They moved  on to other places the following year but Rose described being so close to her sister as they both figured out married life as a happy time.

Rose and Darrell raised four sons, while participating in community life. Rose attended the First Reformed Church of West Sayville where she participated in the church youth group and choir and taught Sunday school. Rose also worked during this time as a dispatcher for the West Sayville Fire Depatment. Technically the job was Darrell’s but he was often too ill to work so they allowed Rose to perform his job so the family didn’t lose the income.

When Darrell passed away after a long illness, Rose concentrated on making ends meet and raising her youngest son. She had the upstairs of their home converted into a permitted apartment and rented it to help support the family. She would rent that apartment to many people over the next forty plus years. Many tenants recall their time there fondly.

Persevering through life’s challenges, Rose would return to a trade familiar to her - fish. At 55 years old Rose took a job at the local fish market. She would become known for her signature cole slaw that was quite popular and difficult to replicate without her guidance. She worked at the fish market until she retired 39 years later at the age of 94.

Rose did more than just work. In 1975 she attended a Parents Without Partners event to learn how to  dance the “Hustle.” She  met a sweet gentleman named Sal Ventamiglia on that dance floor. Rose and Sal were quite compatible, socializing with friends, attending family events, and spending many afternoons together watching her beloved Yankees.  They shared a wonderful companionship for 27 years until Sal’s death in 2002.

Rose saw a lot of technological changes in her 107 years but the one she most embraced was disposable cameras. She brought a disposable camera to every family event and her favorite photography subjects were her grandchildren. She would photograph each one and put the photos on her refrigerator so she could always see them.

Rose loved being a grandmother. She showered her grandchildren with love and humor. Rose also led by example and showed them what hardwork, perseverance, and resilience looked like. She was careful to treat her grandchildren fairly even those that were far away. She remembered every birthday, anniversary, and holiday, with cards or gifts arriving right on time. Rose took such care to ensure that all of her grandchildren were treated equally that each of them received the same gifts at Christmas. Her grandchildren joked she had a manufacturing plant in her basement to churn out so many of the same gifts.  She took their ribbing in stride and it made her heart happy that the cousins could bond over the shared experience of being her grandchild and all that entailed.

Ever the social butterfly, Rose joined a senior’s group, participated in the Ladies Auxiliary of the West Sayville Fire Department, and spent time with her sister, Josephine, her cousin, Myra, and several long time friends. She also remained active in the church. As Rose aged, many of her friends and family passed away. She lamented on a few occasions that being so old could be quite lonely as many of her contemporaries were gone.

When she entered the nursing home at 101 years old, she found new friends and greater social interaction. She also made the news when she survived Covid shortly after entering the nursing home. Rose enjoyed the brief time in the spotlight, although she expressed disappointment at not receiving more Golden Oreos after she told so many reporters they were the secret to her longevity. Her time at Good Samaritan revived her as she enjoyed the social activities, the care she received from the staff, and time spent with her roommate, Helene.

In addition to Darrell and Sal, Rose was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Josephine, and three daughters in law, Jojo, Jackie, and Donna. She is survived by her four sons, Bob, Jimmy (Ronnie), Tom (Kathy), and Gary, 18 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren, and 21 great great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. All of whom will miss her greatly but are thankful for the full 107 years she had on this earth.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to New Life Community Church in Rose’s honor.

Family will receive visitors on Tuesday, February 10 from 2 - 4 p.m. & 7 - 9 p.m. at Raynor & D'Andrea Funeral Home 245 Montauk Highway West Sayville. A chapel service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Interment at Sayville Union Cemetery to follow.