Grace Rovozzo's Obituary
Professor Grace A. (Catanio) Rovozzo, 77, of Pinney Hill Rd., Willington, CT, passed away on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 at Windham Community Memorial Hospital, Willimantic, CT. She was born in East Greenwich, RI, daughter of the late Ralph and Mildred (Gardiner) Catanio. Grace was a 1947 graduate of East Greenwich High School, and received the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Rhode Island. She completed a medical technology program at the Institute of Pathology with Rhode Island Hospital, and was a registered Medical Technologist. In 1956, she was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship for a year of advanced study at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Grace went on to become a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut where she did cancer research. She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology at the University of Connecticut. Grace joined Eastern Connecticut State University's faculty in 1968 as an Assistant Professor. She taught evolution, bacteriology, virology and introduced courses in advanced bacteriology, immunology-serology, and science reference sources. Promoted to associate professor in 1970, she was instrumental in the planning and designing of the electron microscope unit within the Biology Department. In addition, she had established the medical technology internship program within the biology studies program and acted as the medical technology coordinator. Grace was the co-author, in 1973, along with her friend Carroll N. Burke, of the text 'Manual of Basic Virological Techniques'. She also did abstracting for Information Science Abstracts. Grace retired as a Full Professor in 1997 from Eastern Connecticut State University. After retirement, she became interested in glass making and jewelry design. She was a member of the Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and the International Paperweight Society. Grace is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Roy S. Rovozzo; a son, Arthur W. Rovozzo, both of Willington, CT; two sisters, Doris Roderick of Rhode Island and M. Jane Staten of Texas; two special nieces, Courtney Salinas and Elizabeth Contreras; and several other nieces and nephews. Funeral services with burial in Willington Hill Cemetery, Willington, CT, will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Access, c/o Melissa McDonough, 40 Old Farms Rd., Willington, CT 06279, the Salvation Army NHQ, 615 Slaters Lane, Alexandria, VA 22314, Old Sturbridge Village, 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, MA 01566, or to the Colonial Williamsburg Fund, P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187. Introvigne Funeral Home, Inc., 51 East Main St., Stafford Springs, CT, has care of the arrangements. For online condolences, please visit: www.introvignefuneralhome.com
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