Rosika "Rosa" Rice passed away on April 6, 2026. She was a longtime resident of Windham, Connecticut, before moving to her daughter's home in Coventry. Rosa was born on her family's vineyard in the former Yugoslavia, alongside her sister, Anna. During World War II, she and her family were taken by German soldiers and transported by train to Germany, where they were forced into labor for the duration of the war. Afterward, they immigrated to the United States, settling in Maryland.

It was in Maryland that Rosa met her husband, an Army soldier, at a roller-skating rink. There, she gave birth to her daughter. The family, along with her mother, later relocated to Connecticut, where her sister Anna was living. It was during this time that she became known as Rosa. Rosa worked for decades at the American Thread Company in Willimantic, where she rose from shop steward to Vice President of the local textile labor union. She later continued her career at UConn until her retirement and also worked part-time as event staff for the university. She was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Willimantic. Over the years, she dedicated her time as a volunteer at the Immaculata Retreat House and also volunteered at St. Joseph Living Center. Rosa is survived by her daughter, Beverly, and her goddaughter, Kathy Delude. She was predeceased by her mother, R. Sabo; her sister, Anna Dankiew; her brother-in-law, Peter Dankiew; and three of her dearest friends, Hedy, Lilli, and Rose. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church in Willimantic, Connecticut. In lieu of flowers the family welcomes donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.