ONE of Musselburgh’s most prominent citizens, Domenica Di Rollo, has died at the age of 96.

She passed away peacefully, after a brief illness, on September 7.

Domenica was born in Edinburgh on August 18, 1920, to Pietro and Virginia Gasparini. She was the eldest of six children, three girls and three boys: Domenica, Maria, Olga, David, Dominic and Peter.

The family lived at 19 Windsor Street, Edinburgh, not far from Elm Row, where her father ran the family business, the Olympia Fish Restaurant – later to change its name to the Menu.

Domenica was educated at St Thomas Aquinas school in Edinburgh. After leaving school, she helped run the family business and during the war years worked as an auxiliary nurse along with her sister Mary at the Eastern General Hospital.

In 1946 she met Domenic Di Rollo and they were married a year later in St Mary’s RC Cathedral; so began her life in Musselburgh, where her husband’s family had started an ice cream and confectionery business in 1899. Domenica went on to run the Hayweights cinema cafe at 34 Bridge Street.

The couple had three children, Reno, Elaine and Kevin, who still run the family businesses today.

With her husband Domenic being an enthusiastic Rotarian, Domenica joined the Inner Wheel club in 1956 and embraced it wholeheartedly, eventually becoming president in 1971 and taking part in fundraising events for local charities.

After her husband’s death in 1988, Domenica, though devastated, was determined to carry on and make a life for herself, including travelling to Australia, Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore and, of course, her beloved Italy.

One of Domenica’s greatest joys was her eight grandchildren, of whom she was immensely proud. Later she was overjoyed to welcome nine great-grandchildren to the family.

For 69 years, Domenica was a devoted member of Our Lady of Loretto RC Church and recently achieved the distinction of being the eldest parishioner.

The esteem and love with which she was held was evident by the large gathering of family, friends and parishioners who came to pay their respects at her requiem mass, which was celebrated by the Very Rev Joseph Canon McMullan on September 20.

Domenica leaves friends and family with many fond memories of a long and happy life.