Obituary of Rose Marie Stricker

Rose Marie Stricker of Shelton, WA died peacefully on August 19, 2013 at Grays Harbor Community Hospital. Rosie was born to Joe and Jule Peterson on June 28, 1929 at the Ranger Station in Upson,Wisconsin. She attended high school in Iron Belt, Wisconsin and graduated in 1946. She graduated from Ashland County Normal School with a teacher’s certification in 1948. She taught for one year at Saxon Elementary School. Then she taught at the Duluth School District in Duluth, Minnesota from 1948 until 1951. Later after her youngest child Doug went to school she received a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1969 from Saint Martin’s College. She taught elementary school in the Aberdeen School District from 1969 until she retired in 1984. She was loved and well remembered by many of her students. Rosie married Edwin Stricker on August 27, 1949. Rosie and Ed had a dance band in Northern Wisconsin and played for local dances. Rosie and Ed took teaching jobs on the Red Lake Indian Reservation on Red Lake, Minnesota. The family then moved to Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Rosie said many times she always wanted six children. Throughout their marriage Rosie and Ed traveled with family and friends. In their travels Rosie and Ed touched the lives of many people. Rosie's life was about family, friends, service, and positive fun times. She was very outgoing socially; building many long lasting relationships, contributing to and leading remarkable gatherings, and showing respect to all people. She was often the life of the party; serving delicious themed foods, showing beautiful class in her stylish dress in the colors of royalty, bling, and a myriad of carefully chosen shoes, and providing a positive, cheery, and jovial atmosphere. She enjoyed cooking for her family and friends, so much her kitchen had to be built into the party room. Her faith was that she has now taken the big step into an everlasting life of love with those lasting heartfelt relationships. She loved to cook, dance, travel and read. Rosie was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aberdeen and later at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Shelton. Rosie belonged to the Elks, Eagles and the Rambling Rhodies RV Club. She was preceded in death by her husband Edwin Stricker on November 18, 2006. Rosie is survived by her sister Julie Ann Hebert of Puyallup; her six children, Joe of Aberdeen, Hedy Schlaht (Gene) of Everett, Ken of Kahaluu, Hawaii, Bill (Tina) of Olympia, Mark of West Richland and Doug (Debbie) of Everett. She was blessed with six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She has many nieces and nephews. The family requests that remembrances for Rosie be made to the Shelton or a local food bank in lieu of flowers. There is a page for Rosie on the McComb and Wagner Funeral Home in Shelton website that friends and family are invited to visit, share and add to. There will be a funeral service for Rosie at St Edwards Catholic Church in Shelton at 11:00 AM on September 14, 2013. There will be a celebration of her life at her home in Shelton following the funeral.