Rosinne K. Chlala

Rosinne Kaliff Chlala (“Roe”), lived with purpose, loved without limits and led with uncommon strength balancing devotion to her family and unshakable passion for her business of over four decades. She left us at 75, an age far too young for a woman filled with so much life.

Born and raised in Fairfield Connecticut to William and Laurette Kaliff, Roe was the eldest of six children. Her extended family stretched from the islands of the West Indies to the mountains of Lebanon. This multi-cultural exposure coupled with coming of age in 1960s New England shaped Roe’s unique world view and approach to how she lived every day, anchored in “the Golden Rule.”

The soundtrack of Roe’s youth was filled with the music of the Beatles and the Beach Boys. She delighted in learning, a joy that fueled her lifelong curiosity and sharp critical mind. She honed these skills at the Thomas School in Rowayton, CT before continuing her education at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. In 1970, she studied abroad at the American University of Beirut where she discovered the powerful intersection of culture and academia, her true north star.

While studying along the Mediterranean, Rosinne Kaliff met Antoine Chlala, fell in love, and laid the foundation for a 54-year unbreakable marriage. When civil war devastated Beirut and altered their plans to raise a family there, Roe and Antoine returned to Fairfield with quiet determination and a focus on building a secure and hopeful future for their children.

In the early 1980s, as high-end entertaining emerged as a trend, Roe, alongside her brother Bill, pioneered the popularizing of curated and artful living throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Opening a boutique food shop and experiential catering company on Washington Street in historic South Norwalk in 1984, their award-winning small business, Festivities (rebranded to Alchemy in 2023) helped revitalize the community, employed hundreds over the years and shaped luxury special event catering and event planning.

She was a dedicated pro-social founder, volunteer and community leader, serving as a board member and co-chair advocating for a variety of critical issues including; family justice, her mission to protect women from domestic violence, human rights for refugees and immigrants and social services through her church in Southport, CT.

Roe was a steadfast voice and influencer for the catering industrial complex, particularly in the midst of the global pandemic that brought large gatherings to a halt from coast to coast.

Roe is survived by her beloved husband of 54 years, Antoine; her devoted children, Pete (Cynthia), Laurie (Matt), and Michael (Belinda), of whom she was endlessly proud; and her four treasured grandsons, Alexander (18), Henry (17), Gavin (15), and Teddy (13). She is also survived by her cherished siblings, Carol Kaliff, Elizabeth Hablitzel (Jerry), Laurie Myles (Tom), Bill Kaliff, and Lionel Kaliff (Jane), as well as her dear sisters-in-laws, Rene Chelala, Aida Abi Zeid, Mona Chelala, and Ninette Sokhn (Michel).

Beyond her family, Roe touched countless lives, leaving an enormous circle of friends and admirers who were inspired by her boundless optimism, empathy and zest for living life with intention.

Roe’s loss leaves a void so impossible to fill that the truest way to honor her legacy is to follow her example, to live in the service of others through deep-rooted faith, guided by kindness.

Family and friends may visit at the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Rd. Fairfield on Sunday January 4, 2026 from 3:00-5:00 PM. A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday January 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Southport Congregational Church, 524 Pequot Ave., Southport CT 06890. The service will be livestreamed https://www.youtube.com/live/_vIR6fdy-dc. Private Burial will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Center For Family Justice.