Catherine R. Rouse, 93, of Waltham, formerly of Belmont, died peacefully on March 13, 2015.

Mrs. Rouse was born in the North End of Boston on July 12, 1921 and was the daughter of the late Anthony Prestera and Frances (Russo) Prestera who were immigrants of Calabria, Italy.

She was raised in Jamaica Plain and was a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Jamaica Plain. After graduation she worked in retail sales until her marriage in 1947 to the late Arthur P. Rouse, who died in 1989 after 42 years of marriage.

After raising her children, she went back to work for Western Electric in Watertown and retired after 24 years.

She spent every Sunday taking children from the Fernald School in Waltham to Mass in the Fernald Chapel.

She was active with the Sons of Italy in Belmont, as well as St. Luke's Parish and St. Luke's Sodality.

Mrs. Rouse loved opera and traveling, especially cruises. She was thrilled to visit her ancestral home in Italy and she loved spending her summers in Duxbury.

She was the loving mother of Arthur Rouse and his wife, Marion of Belmont and Alice Rouse of Bedford. Dear sister of Joseph Prestera of Newton and the late Marion Campana and Francis and Anthony Prestera. Devoted grandmother of Caitlin Hannigan and husband, Matthew, Lauren Rouse and fiancée, Thomas Steiner, Sarah Gilson and husband, Jeffrey and Christopher Minue. Great grandmother of Cara Gilson. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Her funeral will be held from the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford, Tuesday, March 17, at 8:00 A.M. followed by a funeral Mass in St. Michael Church, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford, at 9:00 A.M. Visitation will be at the funeral home will be on Monday, March 16, from 3:00 to 7:00 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Minue Scholarship Fund, MCC Foundation, P.O. Box 716, Bedford, MA 01730.