Rosemarie Farr DePhillips, of Old Tappan, died January 24, 2026, just 4 days shy of her 91st birthday. She was the older of 2 children of her parents, Paul and Elizabeth (Wehner) Farr, and grew up in Astoria, Queens. Her mother, Elizabeth, was born in Germany, and her father, Paul, was born in Malta. Her younger brother, Robert, is 7 years her junior. Her dear friend from 6th grade, Jean Lehne Roche, was more than a friend. They were as close as sisters and remained connected their entire lives.
Rosemarie was always an excellent student growing up, and she later graduated from New York University, with a degree in business. After graduation, she worked in various roles at New York University. She married the love of her life, Fred DePhillips, in 1958, and they resided first in Edgewater and then bought their first house in Northvale. They lived in Northvale from 1960 through 1968 and had their 3 children there—Susan in 1961, Christopher in 1965, and Stephen in 1966. In Northvale, they became active in St. Anthony’s Church and School.
In 1968, Rosemarie and Fred moved the family to Old Tappan. Regardless, Rosemarie and Fred remained active in St. Anthony Church and School, and throughout the 1970’s, their friendships with the Edwards, Loh, Paolillo, Simons, Amend, McGurn, Kennedy, Cooke and Moran families continued to grow. Throughout the 1970s, these same families furthered their bonds through their memberships at the Idlewild Swim Club in Old Tappan. Rosemarie and Fred’s children, and the children of the other families, spent years growing up together at this swim club. The ties these families formed then continue to this day.
Life in Old Tappan in the 1970’s and into the early 1980’s was fast-paced and fun for Rosemarie and family. Rosemarie supported her children’s extracurricular and sporting activities as they grew, and she returned to the workplace in 1980 as her daughter, Susan, was in college, and her boys, Christopher and Stephen, were now in high school. Once all the kids were in college, Rosemarie and Fred enjoyed many trips far and wide, and life was good.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Rosemarie and Fred’s children married, and their first grandchild was born in 1990. Between 1990 and 2002, 8 of their 9 grandchildren were born, and Rosemarie and Fred were fully devoted grandparents. Unfortunately, Fred was diagnosed with leukemia in 1998 and he struggled with the disease for 6 years. Rosemarie lovingly cared for Fred during that difficult time. Despite Fred’s illness, Rosemarie and Fred continued to travel and made the most of their remaining time together. They had a magnificent 46 years of marriage together between 1958 and 2004, when Fred passed.
After Fred died, Rosemarie continued to be active in her church, library and other organizations and continued to contribute to her community in so many ways. Her 9th grandchild was born in 2008. For the next 18 years, Rosemarie continued to amaze her children and grandchildren with her travels, wisdom, vitality, faith, board positions, and her devotion to the causes she cared about. For the first time that anyone could remember, Rosemarie suffered a medical emergency at age 89 in April 2024 which changed her life, slowed her down and caused many challenges. She suffered another medical emergency in December 2025 from which she never recovered, and she passed peacefully on the evening of January 24, 2026.
Rosemarie was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Elizabeth, in 1979 and 1994, respectively. As noted, she was pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Fred, in 2004. She is survived by her brother, Robert, who resides with his family in Phoenix.
Rosemarie is survived by her 3 beloved children: Susan (Antonio), Christopher (Patricia), and Stephen. She is survived by 9 cherished grandchildren: Christina (Max), Elise (Andrew), Amanda, Timothy, Ryan, Anna, Caroline, Elizabeth, and Zoe. Finally, she is survived by 5 adorable great-grandchildren: Leo, Ember, Zelia, Ivy, and Elinor.
A wake will be held on Friday, January 30, from 2 pm – 7 pm, at the Pizzi Funeral Home, 120 Paris Avenue, in Northvale. A funeral mass will be held at the St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 268 Old Tappan Road, Old Tappan, on Saturday, January 31, at 10 a.m. Rosemarie will be buried beside her husband, Fred, at the Rockland Cemetery in Sparkill, New York. The burial service is private.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark. More information will be forthcoming.
www.pizzifuneralhome.com
