Long-time Garden Grove, CA resident, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2016, at Silverado Senior Care facility in Costa Mesa, CA surrounded by those who loved her.  She had been a resident there since July 2007.  She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Juanita Marie; her mother, Mary L. Whitbeck; and her father, Vincent Whitbeck; as well as her uncle and godfather, Vincent Larkins and favorite aunt Dorothy Whitbeck.  She is survived by her cousin, John Larkins (and his wife Diane) and their children: Joshua (wife Jenny), Michael, Rachele (husband Karl), and Sherry Ann (husband Bill) as well as numerous nieces and nephews (Taylor, Annika, Garrett, Allie, Meghan, Chelsea, and Connor.  Survivors also include her Aunt Phyllis Ballard; and cousins Susan Skeen, Blaine Whitbeck, and Michael Larkins.  Rose Mary embraced two godsons, Frank Boyle and Michael P. Larkins and dearly loved her friend Dorothy Shattenkerk.  Numerous other relatives will feel her absence as well.

Rose Mary was born on May 1, 1930, in Great Falls, MT, and attended grade school there and graduated from high school in Olympia, WA.  Both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees were earned at Southern State University in Ashland, OR.  She taught elementary school for several years in Canyonville, OR, and for thirty-seven years  in Santa Ana, CA.  Many life-long friends came from work in Santa Ana Unified School District, including Hulda Hartman, Rose Mary Zonka, and Judie Thompson.  Another group of teaching friends came from her lengthy involvement in Alpha Delta Kappa, a women’s professional sorority,  and International Honorary Organization for Women Educators.

She was born and raised Roman Catholic and was a generous supporter of her church.  It was of great comfort to her to live within a block of the former St. Callistus Catholic Church in Garden Grove, CA, for over forty years.

Her entire life revolved around family, friends, and pets.  Those pets, in particular, were cats and dogs.  Many were the fortunate ones if Rose Mary rescued them.  Her care for these animals was unbelievable.  She spared no expense to make their lives comfortable and full of love.  We always believed an invisible invitation must have been permanently engraved on her front lawn.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. at Brown Colonial Mortuary located at 204 West 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706 on Sunday, September 4, 20016.  A luncheon will follow the services at The Hacienda located at 1725 College Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92706.  Private internment will be with her parents at Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary in Santa Ana, CA 92705, at a later time. 

Donations may be made in Rose Mary’s name to S.O.S. (Share Our Selves), located at 1550 Superior Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.  This charity for those in need of assistance was a favorite philanthropy of Rose Mary.  Another charity she supported was a program for helping Native Americans (St. Labre’s Indian Mission, P.O. Box 216, Ashland, MT 59003-9989).

Special thank you to Dorothy Shattenkerk for never forgetting.  Your constant letters were so much appreciated.  Thank you, too, to Silverado at Newport-Mesa for years of loving care. 
 

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