Marjorie A. Rosebush

Marjorie Ann Rosebush, age 92, died on February 21, 2019, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Marge was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on June 8, 1926 to Herman Oliver and Ethel Mae (Care) Johnson. She grew up in Hartford, Wisconsin with her sisters Mary Elaine and Lois Mae. She became an English major at her father’s alma mater, Lawrence University in Appleton. A few years into her studies she would meet returning WWII marine veteran, John McNaughton Rosebush at a Beta Theta Pi gathering. Marge and John married in 1947 and made Appleton their home. There, in their house on the ravine, they raised their 2 children, Ann and John.

John Sr., as Lawrence University Alumni Director, was frequently called on to entertain visiting alumni, faculty and notorieties who would never be disappointed by Marge’s sumptuous meals served around the dinner table under candlelight. The couple joined the choir at the First Congregational United Church of Christ and would become life-long active members. Together they enjoyed golf and cross country skiing. Later, as they coped with John’s health challenges, they shared the practices of yoga and meditation. John Sr. was laid to rest in 1978.

Marge was an artist. She followed courses on the Lawrence and Bjorklunden campuses. Her annual watercolor Christmas card was a joy to receive. As a docent at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass she encouraged creativity in coming generations. Tennis and walks with treasured friends enriched her days. With great dedication, she bettered the community by her role in many an organization. Marge especially lived by the motto of one, The Kings Daughters;

“Look up, not down; Look forward, not back; Look out, not in: Lend a Hand”

In love, Marge leaves her children: Ann McNaughton (Dan) Cooke, John McNaughton (Cathy) Rosebush, Jr; her grandchildren: Raychel (Vincent) Toribio, Danielle (Joseph) Sullivan, Grayson Cooke, John Rosebush III, Christina (Steven Assie) Rosebush; and her great grandchildren: Scarlett and Harper Sullivan. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her parents; her parents-in-law, Judson and Barbara Jane (McNaughton) Rosebush; her infant sister, Betty Jane Johnson; her sisters, Mary Johnson, Lois Sax; her sisters and brothers-in-law: Judson and Bette Rosebush, Barbara Jane and A. Taylor Weller; her brother-in-law, Gilbert Sax.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 724 E. South River Street in Appleton. The family will receive relatives and friends at the church on Saturday, March 30, beginning at 10:00 AM prior to the service and in the Fellowship Hall following the memorial.

To celebrate Marjorie’s generous spirit, in lieu of donations, please take a moment in the coming days to reach out and lend a hand wherever you can make a difference.