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May 23, 1928 — Dec. 25, 2020

On Dec. 25, 2020, Marilyn Rossow, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully in her home with family by her side.

Marilyn was born on May 23, 1928, to Christian Kuhn and Mary Gladys (Thomas) Kuhn. She lived the first nine years of her life on a farm 2-and-a-half miles south of Bremen, Indiana. Upon the death of her father at the age of 9, she, her mother and infant sister, Connie, moved to Bourbon to live with her maternal grandparents James and Minnie Thomas. At the age of 12, her mother married Ernest Casper of South Bend. With that marriage, she happily gained three new sisters: Evelyn, Doris asnd Norma. Marilyn is a proud graduate of John Adams High School, class of 1946.

On July 5,1947, she married Eldon (Al) Rossow. They had five children together and celebrated 65 years of marriage in 2012 before his death in August of that year. Marilyn worked many jobs in her adult life while also raising a family. She retired from the University of Notre Dame after 21 years. On her last day at Notre Dame, her husband sent a bouquet of 21 red roses to her office. Marilyn and Al loved to travel, visiting all 48 contiguous states and celebrating their 50th anniversary with a rafting trip down the Colorado River. She also played golf on both ladies and couples leagues, was a life-long bridge player belonging to several bridge groups over the years and enjoyed reading books. Most of all, she enjoyed doing needlework, making projects and presents for family and friends which she considered her legacy. Marilyn was a member of River Park United Methodist Church since the age of 12. In service to the church, she taught Sunday School, served on many committees and was director of the church food pantry until March of 2020.

Marilyn is survived by her children, James (Peggy) and Thomas (Judy), of South Bend, Dennis (Gail), of West Dundee, Illinois, Sheryl Randles (Michael), of San Diego, California, and Sandra (Doug Meyer), of South Bend. Marilyn was especially proud of the fact that all five of her children were university graduates. She also leaves three grandsons, Daniel (Alyssa White), David and Kenneth, one granddaughter, Amanda Ray (Derek), and four great grandchildren Lillian, Wade, Evelyn and Mina. She is survived by two sisters, Connie (Kuhn) Rogers, of Winchester, California, and Norma (Casper) English, of Milton, Florida.

Marilyn often said she lived a good life, full of family, friends, and love. We were all blessed to have had her in our lives as our dear mother, sister, and friend.

Friends may call to pay their respects at River Park United Methodist Church, 920 S. 23rd St., South Bend on Jan. 9, 2021, from noon to 2 p.m. A celebration of life will follow at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to River Park United Methodist Church, 920 S. 23rd St., South Bend, IN 46615, or to the church’s food pantry.

Palmer Funeral Home – Hickey Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

Condolences for the Rossow family may be left at palmerfuneralhomes.com.