Rose M. Rexford

Our mother,Rose Mary (Rozalina) (Kosicki) Rexford went to join her “Joe” and her loving savior on January 17, 2026. She was surrounded by her loving family.

Rose, the last of five children, was born at home on Martz Manor to immigrants Sophie (Rusin) and Alexander Kosicki on May 28, 1935 in a little town called Plymouth, PA. Rose‘s father built their home and was a coal minor. Rose lost her father to black lung when she was only a year old. Her mother, with the help of Rose’s maternal aunts, Cioci Fran, and Cioci Paul, raised five children in the pre-war days on a salary from cleaning homes and doing seamstress jobs. Even though they didn’t have much, they never lacked for anything especially love. The Kosicki and surrounding family were very proud of their Polish heritage and no one was a stranger in their home and no one ever went away hungry. Our mother would tell us many stories of how they had chickens and she would collect the eggs, and how she would get chased by the rooster. And of the time she slipped in the pig pen and had to get rescued before the pigs got her. She said her grandmother was “rich” because she had an outhouse with two seats! There were many days at Harvey’s Lake and nights at the theater. A simpler time then.

Rose was blessed in the friends department, especially from Plymouth Shawnee High School where she graduated class of 1953. On many nights there would be a load of them on her front porch singing and playing musical instruments. Rose‘s lifelong friend Mary Ann (Fabian) Puglisi led her to meeting her “Joe”. You see in 1946 Mary Ann‘s family moved from Plymouth to Binghamton, New York, where a certain young man, Joseph John Rexford lived. Rose would go and visit her friend Mary Ann in the summers when she was a teenager. Mary Ann and Rose would go to a little place called Amps on Clinton Street to have a bite to eat and a soda and that is where she caught the eye of a soon to be USCG. Joe was working at the counter there and as they say the rest is history. A long courtship of more than 10 years ensued. During this time Joe completed eight years of duty in the USCG stationed in Hilo Hawaii. Joe would send many love letters to Rose from there. He went on to graduate from Broome Tech Community College at the same time that Rose was working at Pioneer Manufacturing as a bookkeeper. Joe would take many trips down to Plymouth to visit his “sweetheart“. And on July 9, 1960 they were married at Saint Mary’s Nativity Church in Plymouth PA. We were told it was a weeklong event. A honeymoon took place at the Poconos in PA where Rose and Joe rode horseback, learned archery, hiked the falls and deepen their love for each other.

Home for both now was Binghamton New York in the childhood home of Joe. Joe got a job at IBM Owego, New York and had an impressive career there. It didn’t take long for the newlyweds to start their family, son Joseph David was born in June 1961, a daughter Kelly Ann followed in April 1964 and the last was daughter Lynn Marie in June 1967. Rose worked at St. Ann’s School as the secretary for the principal, Sr. Susan Polchin, who also became a lifelong friend. It was a great job for a mother of three young children, she was off when the kids were off and was also able to keep a close eye on us. We certainly couldn’t get away with anything at school because our mother knew instantly. She was also active in the Parent Teacher Guild, Alter Rosary Society, a den mother for the Boy Scouts, and even your neighborhood Avon lady. Another lifelong friend Rosemary Kolosna was made through these activities. Then came a job at Fairbanks Tool and Die where she was the payroll clerk. A move to a new home in 1981 brought on new job opportunities, one at SUNY Binghamton and then working for the City Of Binghamton in the payroll department. Rose eventually ended her career as senior payroll clerk for the County of Broome at DSS. Afterwards Rose met and had monthly luncheons with her fellow retirees from there mostly at the now gone Boscov‘s café.

After retirement, Rose and Joe became “snowbirds”. For 20 years, they traveled down to Winter Garden Florida to ride out the cold weather. There they met more lifelong friends. These people were near and dear to both Rose and Joe. Gerry and Bruce McMahon, Jeanine and Don Semeniuk and Kathy and Wayne Law. And her (Michigan) buddy Carol and George Mervau. Rose and Joe were loved by many and loved so many. Family and friends that were like family meant the most to them.

Rose enjoyed nothing more than entertaining, block parties on Maria Manor, weekends at the cottage, family holiday gatherings, dinner and game nights. Rose loved to cook and any excuse to have a party was a good one. Rose was also an avid gambler, her and Joe would love to take road trips to Tioga Downs, Turning Stone Resort, Mohegan Sun, and Dover Downs to name a few.

Rose is survived by her two daughters and sons in-law. Kelly Rexford-Hudson and Allen Hudson, Stouchsburg PA and Lynn Ingerman-McNeal and Charles “Patrick” McNeal Binghamton, New York. Nine grandchildren Meghan (Tyler) Gogluizza, Shannon Ingerman, Mary Kate (Joseph) Seborowski , Allen “AJ” Hudson, Aaron Hudson, Molly (Derek) Hanna, Joseph Hudson, Mackenzie Hudson and Adam Hudson. Three great grandchildren, Liam Gogluizza , Kelsey Seborowski and Emelia Gogluizza. Sister-in-law Joyce DeRitis, nephews and nieces Deborah Milford, Anthony DeLuca, Sharon Hudacek Gallagher, Leonard (Luann) Kosicki, Gregory (Lisa) Kosicki, Rita Kosicki, Diane Kosicki, Mark DeRitis and Bruce DeRitis. Numerous great nieces and great nephews. Special cousin Dawn Parenteau, and many more cousins. Rose is also survived by special friends Mary Ann Puglisi, Carol and George Mervau, Sr. Susan Polchin, Bruce and Gerry McMahon.

Rose was pre-deceased by her beloved Joe on October 17, 2023, whom she was married for 63 years with. Her son Joseph David on April 22, 1997. Grandson John Alexander Hudson, March 7, 2015. Mother and father Sophie (Rusin) and Alexander Kosicki, in-laws, Anna (Husnay) and Joseph P Rexford. Siblings John Kosicki, Leonard Kosicki, Francis Kosicki and Sophie DeLuca. Sisters-in-law Anne Spolsky and Ann Kosicki, brother-in-law Armand DeRitis, nephews Brian Rexford, James Kosicki and William (Skip) Milford also special cousin Connie Caffrey.

The family will receive relatives and friends on January 30, 2026 from 3 to 6 PM at Mikeska Funeral Home 161 Clinton St., Binghamton, NY. A Catholic mass will be celebrated on January 31, 2026 at 10 AM at Holy Trinity Church 346 Prospect St., Binghamton, NY. Internment will be at Calvary Cemetery 501 Fairview St., Johnson City, NY. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Holy Trinity Church 346 Prospect St., Binghamton, NY or a charities of one’s choice . Arrangements through Mikeska Funeral Home 161 Clinton St., Binghamton, NY and Bean Funeral Homes 3825 Penn Ave Sinking Spring PA.