Rose Anna Rosler

Rose Anna Rosler, 76, of Honesdale died after a long battle with dementia on Monday, August 19, 2024 at Geisinger Medical Center. She was preceded in death by Raymond Patrick “Pat” Rosler, who died on May 12, 2022. The couple married on October 14, 1972.

Born on November 29, 1947 in Honesdale, she was the daughter of the late Ernest Russell Sr and Betty (Meyers) Williams. Rose was a proud US Army veteran, serving as a medic during the Vietnam War, specifically focusing on psychiatric patients. She began her service in September 1967 and was honorably discharged in September 1970.

Rose was a longstanding employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, serving an array of positions ranging from the Unemployment Office to the County Assistance Office, from which she retired. She was most known for her punctuality, dedication, but most of all humanity in a field where so much can feel cold and uncaring. She was always willing to listen, to care, and to help anyone, anywhere however she was able. In conjunction with this dedication was her dedication to her health, which included walking to and from work EVERY DAY, regardless of weather. If you were in and around Honesdale in the late 90s and 00s, chances are you saw Rose walking to or from work (or to Nature’s Grace for some missing egg salad…or on a splurge day, Elegante’s for some hot and spicy pizza).

Upon retirement, Rose could not sit still (not a shock to those who knew her), so she went to work as church secretary at the Grace Episcopal Church under the guidance of Father Ed…or was that the other way around? She continued to stay active in Bethany Presbyterian Church, then Honesdale Presbyterian Church, and, finally, Grace Episcopal itself – It seems a church always found a good, devoted steward in Rose. She loved to sing, and while even she would question her quality, her enthusiasm made up for it tenfold. Outside the church, she was an environmentalist WAY before it was cool (helping to kick off the Wayne County Recycling effort in the old Acme parking lot), a dedicated member of the Texas #4 Women’s Auxiliary, and an avid participant in the Red Hat Society (for which she had quite a wardrobe).

Perhaps most importantly and impressively was her love as a devoted “Mima” to her family. She loved her husband and her son immeasurably, but that’s a given – even though they did tend to try her patience frequently. She took the greatest joy, though, in watching her son evolve on stage into a performer, via innumerable plays, musicals, and performances – from acting, to singing, to playing, she was truly his number one fan . When her son went away to college, though, was when he brought home a girl who, while she may have missed her first visit, she was grateful for every visit thereafter. See, she knew early on, just what a special girl her daughter-in-law was and, while she might not have always said it, she showed it in her own ways. From go, she was impressed with what an incredible nurse her daughter-in-law was, remarking that she’s “really something”. There was also never a visit where she wouldn’t pull out one of her cookbooks and ask “DIL” where she got it from, or if she could borrow it to try it. (She never did…she’s rather just watch DIL do it.) One of the greatest moments of all, though, involved a certain incident on roller skates…but we’ll leave that right there.

When grandchildren came into frame, her love for her son and daughter-in-law didn’t necessarily disappear, but it certainly took a back seat. From changing diapers, to getting a crib re-installed in her son’s childhood room, to a full on bunk bed and twin to fit all three kids in one room, Mima was ready, willing, and always able to take the kids at a moment’s notice for as long as was needed. And, rumor has it, they got away with WAY more than her own son ever did. From oatmeal with Polaner’s jelly and Neapolitan ice cream, to butter sandwiches and Frosted Flakes (that she would always tell the kids they were stealing from Grampaw), the kids knew what it was to be nutritionally spoiled. Add on top of that trips to the movie theater, swimming pool, and more – She found joy in spoiling her grandchildren…but not too much.

Rose is survived by her son, Shawn Patrick, and wife Greta (Keller) of Bloomsburg; her sister Betty Wells (Williams) of White Mills; and grandchildren Wesley Patrick, Charles Patric, and Raymond Patrick.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Ernest Russell Jr.

Friends may visit Hessling Murray Funeral Home, 428 Main St. Honesdale on Saturday, August 24th from 10-12, with a funeral service following at Bethany Presbyterian Church at 12:30. Interment will follow at Glen Dyberry Cemetery.