This website was created in the memory of our beloved mother, Rosa Gjelaj, who was born as Rosa Rukaj on October 30, 1952 and passed away on September 25, 1998. Rosa was the oldest child of Gjelosh Frani Rukaj and Pashk Machja Rukaj; sister of Maria Vataj, Dila Gojcaj, and Lucas Rukaj; wife of Nikola Gjelaj, mother of Lisa Ulaj and Susie Skrelja and grandmother of Liridon Ulaj, Nicholas Ulaj & Juliet Skrelja. We will remember her forever!
In the arms of an angel, Mom was taken away from us on September 25, 1998, a few short years after she was diagnosed with cancer. She was pulled from the hurt of cancer and graciously taken from her pain then tenderly placed into the arms of our healing Savior. God held her, caressed her head, wiped her tears and made her whole. No more pain, no more tears for mom.
Our Mom was a beautiful, wonderful woman inside and out. She was kind, considerate, warm, generous, loving and caring to all her family and friends. She was the "perfect" mother. We don't know another person who had a heart as big as our mom's. She always gave us the best of everything. Always tended to others before herself. Always giving to those less fortunate than she. She gave so little to herself and so much to everyone else.
For those of you who were fortunate to know her, we're sure you would agree with us when we say, she had a heart of gold, unlike anyone we've ever known.
She was a beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend to all who had the fortunate opportunity to have had her in their lives! Her legacy is the love she leaves behind and memories we will treasure forever. Our lives will never be the same. But her unconditional love and memories will last forever.
Mom, we know you are always with us in spirit and always watching over us like the guardian angel you always were. But as years pass by, it doesn't seem to get any easier. It just hurts more and more!
You will always be remembered, never to be forgotten! We love and miss you soo much! Sending you hugs & kisses!
Till We Meet Again
Missing you deeply from the bottom of our hearts!
Do te Kalojne vite e dekada, ti gjitmone per ne mbetesh e njejta, kurre ne jete s'kem per te harruar. Per cdo dite ma shume Te Duam!
Forever in our Hearts and Minds!
Our sweet angel, we love you more than words could ever describe!
In memory of my Mom whom I love dearly. / Lisa Ulaj (Daughter)
Walked into the room The odor hit me as I walked in. Never could stand the way it smelled, the medicine, the blood, disinfectants combined. I tried not to let it bother me For I had to see her And a scary sight it was. For she was skin and bones and ...
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Some poems that hit home for Rosa's family. / Lisa Ulaj (Daughter)
Words Left Unsaid
I didn't get to say "goodbye", And all the words I wanted you to hear. I should have said them when I had my chance, But I thought that you would always be near. I ran out of time to let you know, Just how much you meant...
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But its my birthday!! / Sendi Djeljevic (Niece)
All my life my parents have tried to teach me to be thoughtful, courageous, understanding, forgiving and most of all loving, and all my life i wondered how can one person be all of this, how an angel can be in human form so pure and kind; and then i ...
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OUR MOMS ARE TOGETHER LISA IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE / MARIA RUKAJ Mrikas Daughter (cousin)
Wow Lisa when I see her younger photos I can’t help but see so much beauty..she truly was beautiful inside and out. Your mom always loved me she had such a big smile when she saw me and always kissed me and said hello how are you. She had a hea...
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My deepest condolences / Hendrick Polanco
My deepest condolences. May these few words from the Holy Scriptures give you comfort. John 11:32-45 32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brot...
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To take the title from Maya Angelou, Extraordinary Woman, no one person can better encompass the true meaning of extraordinary than you.
You truly had it all, you were: compassionate, charismatic, humorous, commited, devoted, selfless, smart, strong, independent, free-spirited, a risk-taker, beautiful and a person who truly did try to make the most out of life; someone who loved life!
Yes, I know we use to fight like cat and dog sometimes, I'd like to think it was because we were so similar (if only I were so lucky). But through it all I never questioned the love you had. Imagine how boring life would have been had you and I not fought. Had I been the "ideal" child as Lisa was? Oh, I remember all too well how many times you would say," Lisa would never say that to me, Lisa would have never done that..." Remember my response? "Well, I am not Lisa!" Ahhh, those were the good ole' days. What I would do to bring those days back -- what I would do to bring you back!
I am not sure that you and daddy had a plan in rearing me and Lisa, but all I can ask of God is for Juliet and any other children who may follow her to think as fondly of me as I do of you! For me to be able to instill the confidence you did in me. For me to be only positive in my thoughts and actions. For me to give selflessly and unconditionally. For me to be their number one fan.
To me, you were my biggest fan, my loudest cheerleader, my strongest backbone, my most trusting friend, my mother! It is ALL these things that I miss -- you wore many hats and carried many titles in my eyes and I want to thank you for showing me and allowing me to experience someone so extraordinary.
Tributes and Condolences
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