Rosario Bonanno

Rosario (Ross) Bonanno, 85, of Bronxville, NY passed away peacefully on August 1st, 2026. He was born on May 21,1941, in Milazzo, Italy and immigrated to the United States in December 1955 with his parents and siblings. They settled in Brooklyn, where he graduated from John Jay High School and later studied at Pratt Institute. He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1962, later served in the Marine Corps Reserves, and proudly received an honorable discharge in June 1968.

In September 1969, Ross married the love of his life, Isabella (Isa) Proscia. They had two daughters, Stefania and Margherita, and in 1978, they moved to Pelham, NY where they raised their family. Ross and Isa enjoyed travelling the world together and spending time with their families.

For over four decades, Ross was an active member of the Pelham Civic Association where he led many charitable programs. He took great pride in being named Man of the Year in 1996 for his wide-ranging contributions to the Pelham community. Ross was also a weekly communicant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Ross's work career in Advertising and Marketing Production spanned over 40 years and culminated in his most cherished job, leading the Production Department at Carnegie Hall for over 17 years before retiring in 2019.

After 40 years of marriage, he lost his beloved Isa in 2009. His grief did not stop him from embracing a life filled with travel, music, art, good food and wine, family, and his many dear friends. His grandchildren were his pride and joy, and the time spent with them was among the happiest of his life.

Ross was known for his impeccable style, devotion to family and friends, and passion for the arts. His strong Catholic faith was the foundation of his beliefs, and he put those beliefs to work in every interaction he ever had, big or small. To know Ross was to fall in love with his kindness of heart and generosity of spirit. He had a unique way of bonding with people across all generations and served as a trusted role model and mentor for countless people throughout his life.

He is predeceased by his father (Giovanni), mother (Stefania), sister (Caterina), sister-in-law (Maria), and brother-in-law (Tommaso). He is survived by his daughters Stefania (Michael) and Margherita (Dante) and his four grandchildren Catherine, Christopher, Luke and Teo; his sister Franca and husband Saverio Vangeli, his brother Valerio and wife Anna Maria Bonanno, his sister-in-law Laura Proscia, and brother-in-law Giuseppe Santangelo; and many cherished nieces, nephews, godchildren, and cousins.

His sudden passing is heartbreaking, but we take great comfort in knowing that he is now reunited with Isa in Heaven.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a receiving line at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Pelham Manor, NY from 10 to 11AM, followed by a mass of Christian burial at 11AM. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY, with a reception following at Mulino’s of Westchester in White Plains, NY.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Ross's name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at https://www.michaeljfox.org