Rosemarie "Rose" Stephenson

Rosemarie “Rose” Stephenson, 86, of Ottawa, Kansas, died Sunday, July 28, 2013 at Ottawa Retirement Village. A gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life will be held at the Carnegie Cultural Center, 501 S. Main, Ottawa, 10:00 A.M. Saturday, August 10, 2013. The family requests those who will be attending the celebration to share a funny story or personal memory of Rose. Private Inurnment Highland Cemetery, Ottawa Rose was born on Tuesday, November 23, 1926 in Waycross, Georgia. She was the daughter of Brick and Ruth Hardy. Rose was a lifelong resident of Ottawa. She graduated from Ottawa High School with the class of 1944. On August 18, 1946 Rose was united in marriage with Joe Stephenson in Ottawa, Kansas. He preceded her in death on June 5, 2010. Survivors include her three children, daughter, Peggy Eklund of Tulsa, Oklahoma, daughter, Cris Denton and husband Don of Marina Del Rey, California, and son, Tom Stephenson and wife Cindy of Grandview, Missouri; two grandchildren, Megan Schlientz and husband Graham, and Molly Kaplan and husband Michael; four great grandchildren, Maile and Avery Kaplan, and Gavin and Aiden Schlientz. Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Stephenson; parents, Brick & Ruth Hardy; father, Ted Patterson; and sister, Patsy Ruth Sheldon. Rose worked for Dr. Henning as a dental and medical assistant in the late 1940’s. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s she was co-owner of the Young Place a youth clothing store in Ottawa. She was a former member of the Ottawa Arts Council, Community Theater, Ransom Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, and Ransom Memorial Hospital Board of Directors. She also volunteered for many years at the Osawatomie State Hospital. The family suggests memorial contributions to Ottawa Arts Council or Prairie Paws Animal Shelter c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. An online Guest Book is available at www.dengelmortuary.com.