Obituary of Jacqueline Rolon

Jacqueline Mae Rolon, 91, of Staten Island, NY, passed away peacefully on November 8th, 2025, in the comfort of her home in Rosebank, surrounded by family. A celebration of life service will take place at Matthew Funeral Home on November 12, 2025, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, on November 2, 1934, Jacqueline spent most of her childhood supported by loving foster parents and at the Jennie Clarkson Home in Valhalla, NY. She graduated from  Mabel Dean Bacon High School, where she attained her excellent cooking skills. After starting a family of her own, she began working at EJ Korvettes in Midtown Manhattan. She would work for the company in Accounts Payable for 32 years.

As an advocate for multiple causes, Jacqueline joined the Black Civil Rights Marches of the 1960s, helped influential Journalist and Attorney Geraldo Rivera to stop the abuses of Staten Island’s Willowbrook State Developmental Center, and regularly attended community board meetings to ensure her voice was heard. She was a long-time supporter of the Audubon Society, a reflection of her deep love for animals and nature.

In her retirement, Jacqueline enjoyed cooking and baking for her family, gardening, and helping her daughter raise her grandchildren. Throughout her community in Rosebank, where she lived for 30 years, she was well-respected as a force of compassion and support, which earned her the nickname “The Mayor of Rosebank.”

Jacqueline was preceded in death by her son, Edward Rolon. She is survived by her daughter, Jeannie Appelgate R.N., and her three grandchildren: Francesca, Michael, and Jaclyn. They will hold close to their hearts the quote that Jacqueline lived by, “Can’t never did.”

Jacqueline will be remembered for her strength, compassion, and all her selfless deeds for her family, friends, and the many communities she supported. She will truly be missed by all who knew her.