Patricia Ann Maggio

Patricia Ann Maggio, 75, a lifelong Rockford resident passed away peacefully at Javon Bea Hospital, surrounded by family on Sunday, June 7th. Patty was born July 5, 1950 at St. Anthony’s Hospital. She grew up outnumbered and adored by her brothers Phil Jr. and John, loved endlessly by her parents Anne and Phil. She married the love of her life, Joseph Michael Maggio Jr. on April 4, 1970 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Rockford where they were both baptized.

Patty’s passion for learning started at Barbour School, she continued to Washington, Muldoon and earned her bachelor’s degree at Rockford College. She earned her degree but never stopped learning. She was a walking sponge absorbing anything and everything she could to know more about the world, the people living in it, their cultures, politics, prayer, suffering, spirituality and love. She was always striving to have a better understanding and just continued to want to learn more. Books taught her more. Books filled every room in her home. She wanted the people in her life and the people she loved most to love books too. She would buy books for her nieces and nephews every holiday and write a special note on the inside cover. She would read to her family and the community any chance she could get whether it was her work or someone else’s.

Patty was a dreamer, a creative, published writer & poet. Some of her passions were writing in the Pappagallo publication. She was a writer for Tan Books publishing and even dove into the sports world and became a writer for the sports section in the Rockford Register Star. She was always active and involved in the community. To name a few she worked for the Board of Education, participated and spoke for Womanspace and was a devout member of Altar Rosary Society. She remained a lifelong member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

If you were known or loved by Patty, you were prayed for. She did everything she could to make sure people felt loved, special and appreciated while in person. She extended that love further by praying for people and teaching them the power of prayer and faith.

To live a life like Patty means to create beauty all around you, to love others and everything that makes us different, look at the deeper meaning to everything in life and to have faith and trust in the ultimate plan.

Patty is survived by her brother John(Cynthia) Martorana, sister-in-law, Francine Martorana, nieces and nephews, Philip(Chelsea) Martorana, Danielle Martorana, Jordan Martorana, Domonique(Jacob) Graff, Francesca(Cole) Mekley; great-nieces and nephews, Philip, Santino, Emma, Drake, Parker Rose, Asher and Carter as well as many special friends, who Patty became close with throughout her lifetime. She is pre-deceased by her parents, Anne and Philip Martorana, her husband Joe Maggio and her brother Philip Martorana.

The family would like to extend a deep and thoughtful thank you to the staff at Javon Bea Hospital and East Bank Center for the care they gave during the last months of her life. A special thank you to James from East Bank Center. He went above and beyond and never gave up on her healing and recovery.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 1010 Ferguson St. Rockford IL 61102, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. Burial will conclude at a later date in Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Winnebago, IL. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Patty's name to the Poor Clare Colettine Nuns of Rockford and Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary.

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