Rosemarie Keating

Rosemarie “Rose” Keating (Abbott), age 71, passed away peacefully in her care facility in Vacaville, California, on the morning of February 22, 2026.

Born on November 10, 1954, in Bangor, Maine, Rose was the beloved daughter and oldest child of the late Glenn and Valeria Abbott. Her father was a distinguished pilot in the United States Air Force and the family moved about the country during her early childhood, eventually settling outside of Andrews Air Force Base (now Joint Base Andrews) in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Rose attended the all-girls Catholic high school La Reine in Suitland (closed in 1992) and went on to attend college at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, followed by graduate school at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Rose eventually returned to Maryland to be near her mother and raised her family in Clinton. She was a proud and devoted mother to Colin Keating, Kristin Fracchia, and Jason Keating, and a cherished grandmother to Claire, Bryce, Connor, Luca, and Alexander who affectionately knew her as “Nan Nan.”

A lifelong Catholic, Rose anchored everything in her faith and brought up her family to know God through St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Clinton. She served the Church dutifully throughout her life, and while living in Maryland and northern Virginia, she always sought to ingrain herself in the nearest parish as a volunteer, lay minister, and through engagement in parish women’s groups. With her background in counseling and social work, she worked in a variety of professional capacities, including public works, medical office work, education, and parish office staff.

Throughout her life, Rose placed her family first, beginning with her children and then later, her grandchildren. With a passion for baking, her cakes and desserts were the centerpiece of every family gathering across generations, and the first question she would always ask was "What would you like for your birthday?" She followed her children and grandchildren to every sporting event, school concert, and graduation, and was their loudest cheerleader and #1 fan. Though beset by a variety of significant medical challenges throughout her adult life, she never complained, never sought attention, never gave up, but quietly and determinedly moved forward trusting in God's plan. Rose was a model of perseverance, of faith, and of strength, and her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren, who will forever remember their sweet Nan Nan.

A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, March 9 at 11:00am at St. John the Evangelist Church in Clinton, Maryland, preceded by a wake at the Church at 10:00am. Rose will be buried at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, next to her mother Valeria Abbott.