Rosemary Lewandowski / Oct. 25, 1948 – May 3, 2010
Published 11:10 pm Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Rosemary Lewandowski
Rosemary Calder Lewandowski, of Niles died at Memorial Hospital on May 3. She courageously tried to battle back to health for 30 days before surrendering to complications of pancreatitis.
Rosie is a 1966 graduate of Niles High School, and was very active with the class reunion committee. Rosie is also remembered by many through connections from her work and volunteerism through the years; driving for Niles Dial-a-Ride and the DAV; her involvement in the “women’s auxiliary group,” the Eau Claire Bag Ladies; her 22 years of employment for Tom Mollison, CPA; and as lunch lady at St Mary’s Catholic School.
Rosie is preceded in death by her husband of 17 years, Michael Lewandowski, who died on Dec. 10, 1984. She was also preceded in death by her fiance, Tom Dipert, who died on Nov. 24, 1998.
Rosie is survived by her mother, Bonnie (Gilbert) Calder, of Buchanan, and her siblings, Scott and Kent Calder, Colette Pointer and Gail Basore.
Rosie has three surviving children, Marci (Darryl Jenkins) Lewandowski Jenkins, of Grand Rapids, Gretchen (William) Gendron, of Lawrence, Mich. and Toby (Erica) Lewandowski, of Richmond, Mich. Rosemary was Grandma Rosie to seven grandchildren: Christopher, Joshua, Izabella, Peter, Evalyn, Addison and Calder, who was born on April 10, 2010. She was also “Aunt Rosie” to many others who she loved deeply.
Visitation will be held at Brown Funeral Home in Niles from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 6. Funeral service will held at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Niles on Friday, May 7 at 11 a.m. Following the Service, Rosie will be interred at Calvary Cemetery in Niles. A luncheon will be served to family and friends at St Mary’s after the burial rites.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the DAV or your local homeless shelter. Rosie’s family encourages all women to pay attention and address symptoms of gall bladder disease.
Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.brownfuneralhomeniles.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services.
