Roselynn O'Neal, 83, of Arvada, passed away Thursday, July 17, 2008, in Wheat Ridge. Visitation will be until 7 p.m. today, July 21, at Tennant Funeral Home. Celebration of Life will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, at Christ United Methodist Church with the Rev. Derek Detoni-Hill officiating. Inurnment will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23, at Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder.
Rosie was born Nov. 24, 1924, to Robert Lynn and Grace (Church) Harper in Olathe, Kan. In 1928, at the age of 4, she moved with her family to Littleton. She later moved to Boulder, where she lived until moving with Charlie and the girls to Sterling in 1953.
Roselynn Harper married Lt.j.g. Charles O'Neal on Feb. 19, 1944. To this union was born Peggy Lynne and Patricia Susan, while they still lived in Boulder where being a homemaker involved scrubbing, rinsing and hanging diapers while chickens ran between your legs. "Blondie" ended up on the table one Sunday noon, to everyone's horror, Grandma O'Neal being the executioner.
Charlie contracted polio in early 1949 which would alter the course of all their lives. After their move to Sterling, Rosie become involved in Christ Church, the Easter Seals swimming program and the League of Women voters. She was an election judge many times, setting a fine example for her girls.
Rosie was an above average bowler and loved to play bridge. She also baked her way into many hearts.
As a research interviewer for the University of Michigan, she traveled in the county and state and also to Michigan, Georgia and Montana. About this same time, her girls discovered Swanson TV dinners.
Rosie and Charlie enjoyed traveling while Charlie could still walk with a cane. After purchasing his first electric cart, "Mobie," they were able to continue seeing the country in a van, often visiting daughter Peg and family in Arkansas. An avid Broncos and Rockies fan, Rosie loved going to games in Denver whenever she could talk daughter Patricia into taking her. She and Charlie enjoyed Fourth of July fireworks at the Rockies games several times. When cheering at home, Charlie was often worried she might hurt her arm or hand pounding on the kitchen counter. After Charlie passed away in February 2006, Rosie stayed in their house and managed quite well until a fall in November 2007, after which she moved to the "Sterling House of Arvada" near Patricia and R.J.'s. As hard as it was to sell the house and move, Rosie had such a positive attitude and made new friends easily. After a bout with pneumonia in June, she was never able to fully recover and passed away peacefully in Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge on July 17.
Surviving are daughters, Peggy Lynne Rhoades and husband Dennis of Green Forest, Ark., and Patricia Susan Jensen and husband Ralph of Arvada; grandchildren, Thomas Rhoades and wife Stacey of Hardy, Ark., Keri Kennedy and husband Mark of Ridgedale, Mo., James Rhoades of Rogers, Ark., and Alexa DiPentino and husband Pat of Berthoud; great-grandchildren, Kristen, John, Clara, Kayle, Tressie, Patrick, Gabriella, Phillip and Olivia; sister, Roberta Holman of Olympia, Wash.; sister-in-law, Ruth O'Neal of Denver; their families and a host of wonderful friends.
Rosie O'Neal was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers-in-law, George and Eldon O'Neal and Robert Holman.
Donations in Rosie's honor may be given to Christ United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 104 S. Fourth St., Sterling, CO 80751, or the Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 104th Ave., Westminster, CO 80020, or the charity of the donor's choice.
