Rocco Rocky NATE

8 OCT 1921 - 29 DEC 2014

• OCCUPATION: Sorter, Magazine Store
  1940
• BIRTH: 8 OCT 1921, South Bend, St Joseph, IN
• DEATH: 29 DEC 2014, South Bend, St Joseph, IN

• MARRIAGE: 17 JUL 1948, St Adalbert, St Joseph County IN

1.  Angela Angie NATE

INDEX

[N28806] Rocco Joseph “Rocky” Nate

BIRTH 8 Oct 1921
South Bend, St. Joseph County, IN

DEATH 29 Dec 2014 (aged 93)
Notre Dame, St. Joseph County, IN

BURIAL
Cedar Grove Cemetery
Notre Dame, St. Joseph County, IN
PLOT Mary, Holy Mother of the Church Mausoleum
MEMORIAL ID 140687068

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Rocco "Rocky" Joseph Nate (Nati), 93, of South Bend, Indiana passed away at 10:00 a.m., Monday, December 29, 2014 at Dujarie House at Holy Cross Village, Notre Dame, Indiana. Rocco was born on October 8, 1921 at home in South Bend to Vincenzo and Carmella (Bruczessi) Nati. His parents were immigrants from the province of Calabria in Italy. He grew up in South Bend's "Little Italy" near Madison Avenue, Niles Avenue and Hill Street, where he played football with his neighborhood friends at the "sandlot". Some of his favorite memories included Knute Rockne giving him a football to play with, or buying him an ice cream cone, or Notre Dame football players sneaking him into the games under their raincoats, leading Rocco and his boyhood friends and brothers to become lifelong Notre Dame football fans. He attended every home football game for over fifty years. Rocco received his sacraments and was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, where he attended school. He was a lifelong faithful Catholic devoted to worshipping at Mass every Sunday and Holy Day. He was united with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism by the Rev. Fr. P. J. Carroll, CSC on November 14, 1921. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation and was strengthened in the gifts of the Holy Spirit on October 17, 1931. As a boy, he worked at the RC Bottling Company and sold newspapers to help support his family during the Great Depression. He attended the 9th grade at South Bend Central High School but needed to step away from school to work full time as he continued to help support his family and his widowed mother.On October 13, 1943, Rocco was drafted into service by the United States Army, where he served in the 165th Signal Photographic Company as a Photographic Laboratory Technician 5th Grade in the European Theatre during World War II, participating in the Battles and Campaigns of Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. He also served during the "Battle of the Bulge" during Christmas of 1944. Rocco was honorably discharged on November 12, 1945. Throughout his life, Rocco cherished sharing the hundreds of photographs he returned with from the War, recounting his memories countless times. His experience of life would be forever impacted by his service in the War. He took great pride in his country and in his service during the War. On the day he returned to South Bend, Rocco began working for American News Agency, where he met his future wife, Theresa A. Sieradzki, that same day. On July 17, 1948, Rocco and Theresa were married in St. Adalbert Church. On February 3, 1950, the other love of Rocco's life was born, his daughter Angela "Angie." He cherished her and loved her through the years. In 1952, Rocco began working for Central News Agency, and retired from Michiana News Service in 1995. In 2010, the entire family gathered with Rocco and Theresa at St. Adalbert Church to celebrate their 62nd wedding anniversary, and on July 17, 2014 Rocco and Theresa marked 66 wonderful years of marriage together. Rocco was a devoted son, brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather who loved visiting with family, attending events for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and his playful sense of humor and kind heart always brought joy to all those who knew him. He loved to visit and converse with others and asked many questions to engage others and to learn more about who people were. He was a loyal employee and a hard worker who took his responsibilities at work and at home seriously. People were the center of his life and one of his great joys was to be at home. Certainly, the motto "God (and Family), Country, and Notre Dame" applied to Rocco throughout his life. May Rocco Joseph Nate receive the rewards of heavenly happiness that the Lord has promised to those who are faithful servants! May he rest in Peace!
Rocco is survived by his wife, Theresa; his daughter, Angela (John) Derda of South Bend, Indiana; three grandchildren, the Rev. Fr. Christopher J. Derda, Shaun C. (Traci) Derda, and Nicholas J. (Mary) Derda; and five great-grandchildren Carli Diane, Derek Shaun, Dylan John, John Paul, and Joseph Rocco. Rocco was preceded in death by his parents, Vincenzo and Carmella Nati; two brothers, Joseph "Pep" (Mildred) Nate and John (Clara) Nate, Sr.; and three sisters, Mary (Frank) Mazzone, Rose (Joseph) LaPara, and Josephine "Babe" (Eugene) Palmer. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 noon, Saturday, January 3, 2015 at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church, with the Rev. Fr. Christopher Derda officiating, pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Battle Creek, MI with the Rev. Fr. Camillo Tirabassi concelebrating. Entombment will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery, on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, where members of the United States Army and the American Legion Post #284 will conduct Military Services. A visitation will be held from 3-5 and 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Drive, where Vigil Prayers and a Rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. Friends may also visit with the family from 11:00 until 11:45 a.m. Saturday in the church vestibule. Rocco was member of St. Anthony de Padua Parish, a WWII Army Veteran and a member of the American Legion Post #50. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church or St. Joseph Catholic Church or School, South Bend, Indiana. To send online condolences, please visit kaniewski.com.