Mary Celeste Robbins

Mary Celeste (Petti) (Lauricella) Robbins

Mary, affectionately known as "Gram," passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026, at the age of 101. A lifelong resident of East Rochester, Mary grew up on Apple Street, where she was raised with a humble upbringing and a deep pride in her Italian heritage. With her passing, an era comes to a close, as she was the last surviving member of her family generation.

In 1943, as an attractive young redhead, she caught the eye of her future husband, Ross Lauricella, and together they were blessed with two children. Mary was a woman of incredible mind and talent, possessing an extreme attention to detail in everything she did. She found immense joy in sketching and drawing custom cartoons and penning her own thoughtful poetry.

A true matriarch from the old world, Mary took great pride in making almost everything from scratch. Her kitchen was the heart of her home, homemade spaghetti and sauce, pizza, and her family-favorites white cake and Christmas cutout cookies. Mary was also an avid gardener who grew vegetables, canned and shared with others. She was often crocheting blankets and handmade items for those she loved. Mary was charitable and spent her life supporting causes close to her heart.

With longevity also came the bittersweet loss of many family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Charles Lauricella, Ross Lauricella, husband R. Robbins, parents; Louise and Paul Petti, siblings; Joe and (Liz) Petti, Angie and (Dick) Kress, Pat and (Jeanne) Petti, and Pauly and (Chuck) Scalise.

Mary’s memory will be cherished by her surviving family, including her loving daughter Anna Lee (Terry) Ross, grandson Doug (Lisa) Ross, granddaughter Christy Ross (Robert); great-grandchildren Anna Hawkins-Ross (Keevian), and Lennon Ross, daughter-in-law Shelley Lauricella, step-grandchildren Rory Artz, Jack Artz, and many nieces and nephews.

To honor Mary's wishes for simplicity, no formal services will be held. The family asks you to remember her by enjoying a piece of chocolate in her honor, as she firmly believed it should be its own recognized food group. Donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to PA Hank Wengender for his exceptional care and friendship. Also, a special thanks to the dedicated staff at St. John's Nursing Home and the University of Rochester Medicine Palliative Care unit for their compassion and kindness