Obituary: Rose Marie Barowski
Rose Marie Barowski, 78, of Stockbridge, Michigan, formerly of Scottville, Michigan, is now home with her Savior and reunited with her parents whom she loved and missed so much. Rose passed away peacefully on Monday, August 2, 2021 at her niece Amanda Olvera’s house in Cedar Park, Texas. She was born in December 1942, the second child of Charles and Anna Barauskas, and grew up on the family farm in northern Michigan. Eventually, she moved to her new home in mid-Michigan to be nearer to her sister Mary and her family.
Rose worked for many years as a nurse, first in a hospital setting, and later in nursing homes. In her spare time, she loved to sew, mostly embroidery, though in her later years she also took up quilting. Her family and friends were gifted many times over the years with hand-embroidered wall hangings, pillows, shirts, aprons, felt Christmas ornaments, blankets, doll clothes, and Christmas stockings. Rose was involved in her local church, volunteered at the local community outreach food bank, and also spent a lot of time at the local library, sewing many Christmas stockings to donate to their fundraising efforts. She had a green thumb; peonies were a great favorite, as well as berries and various vegetables (mind you, Rose didn’t like to EAT vegetables, but she sure enjoyed growing them!). Indoors she grew African violets and Christmas cactus. She enjoyed her collections of Campbell Soup memorabilia, porcelain dolls, and thimbles, and loved her pets: ducks, dogs, and especially cats. Her two most recent cats, Star and Little Star, were great company for her as she aged, and she often chatted with them while going about her daily routine.
Rose was a kid at heart and definitely had a soft spot for children. She loved all her nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and the children and grandchildren of her good friend Fannie Bontrager. “Auntie Rosie” was the best aunt a kid could ask for. She loved taking the kids to pick things from her garden, reading to them, doing puzzles or word searches with them, sneaking them candy when their parents weren’t looking, regularly sending cards, letters, cookies, and little gifts, taking them swimming at Ludington beach, and showing up at school for every grandparent’s day, concert, and graduation. Even after her health declined and she had to move to Texas, no matter her mood she could always be persuaded to smile by a little one.
Rose is preceded in death by her parents, Charles Paul Barauskas and Anna (Babbin) Barauskas, several aunts and uncles, including her beloved uncle Stanley Barauskas, and her older brother Michael Barowski. She is survived by her younger sister Mary Greiner, her nieces and nephews, and many great nieces and nephews, including Alberto, Diana, Jasmine, and Isabella Olvera, who were a source of great joy to her in her last months. Her family would also like to extend a special thank you to her neighbors and good friends, Mike and Onalee Barnett, for providing the care needed to allow her to remain independent in her own home for as long as possible.
There is no memorial service planned at this time. At a later date, Rose’s ashes will be interred alongside her parents in Pere Marquette Cemetery in Ludington, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages well-wishers to plant a tree in Rose’s name, or to make a donation to one of Rose’s favorite charities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
