Rosalie Sciortino, an author, painter, and longtime champion of the arts in Downey, died yesterday at age 97.

No services have been scheduled yet, according to an obituary posted by Miller-Mies Mortuary.

Sciortino and her family moved to Downey when she was only 20 days old. She helped lead the writing group Writers Workshop West, and her short stories often appeared in the Downey Patriot (and the Downey Eagle before that).

Five years ago, her original artwork was featured in an exhibit at Stay Gallery.

Please read this feature on Sciortino written by Carol Kearns ahead of that exhibit.