Belleville DDA chairperson Rosemary Loria dead at 70

Rosemary Ann Loria, 70, life-long Belleville resident and current chairperson of the Belleville Downtown Development Authority, died at her home early Friday, Nov. 15, after a courageous battle with cancer.
She and her husband of 50 years, Belleville Mayor Pro-Tem Jack P. Loria, were both named Distinguished Graduates of Belleville High School in 2018, and they both were devoted to giving service to the community of Belleville.
The family has asked for memorial contributions to be used towards the beautification of the town she loved so much.
Loria was instrumental in putting together the BooVille idea to fill the city with activities during the month of October. Last summer, she and others sat across Main Street from Scott Jones’ property and watched heavy machinery tear down the dilapidated buildings on the site that had marred the entry to the City of Belleville for so long. She reported that she clapped when the ugly buildings fell.
She also was instrumental in bringing the outdoor sculptures to Belleville.
Loria and the DDA most recently were working together to redesign Fourth Street to make sure the entry to the new Belleville Area District Library was the best it could be, with trees and green space and places to sit.
When she was too weak to come to city hall, DDA Coordinator Carol Thompson and City Manager Diana Kollmeyer visited Loria at her home to discuss DDA business and to keep her in the loop where she wanted to be.
Loria also had served on the city council.
Although she could be very tough in defending a decision, she had a very warm heart. As chairperson of the DDA, she often baked treats and brought them in for special occasions to share with the DDA members and the public.
Last summer on a very hot day — although she was a bit frail from her ongoing battle with cancer — she attended the Masonic Lodge’s dedication of the cornerstone for the new district library. She was an avid reader and loved the library.
Crowds of people came to visitations for her on Sunday and Monday at the David C. Brown Funeral Home. On Tuesday a funeral mass was held at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Cremation has been accorded.