Rosie Wolfe - Lititz, PA

Rosie Wolfe has been in my thoughts a lot since I have been reflecting about my father’s death 12 years ago. (View previous blog post). I met Rosie while on my mission in Pennsylvania on August 20th 1989. I knocked on her door one hot/humid summer day and she welcomed me and my companion into her home and fed us Ice Milk (not ice cream, there's a difference) and Cheese Curls. It was an odd combination, but it was Rosie's favorite snack and I learned to enjoy the mix. At the time, she was 84 years old. Today, she would be 110.

Rosie became very dear to me. I only got to know her for about 4 months and only visited her a handful of times. She was always so happy to see us and would enjoy are company. Rosie was of the Mennonite faith. She read the Bible 2 hours a day and was close to Christ. Her husband had passed away twelve years prior to me meeting her. Her body was worn out from lifting Lloyd out of bed and around the house when he’s health went bad for ten years. She had a great smile and just the sweetest lady you ever met. She had my sense of humor, so we could keep each other laughing all day.

She had many talents and “stitching” as she called it was one that helped bring in some extra money. She made yarn Afghans. After meeting her on my 3rd visit, I asked if she could make one for me. She agreed if I bought the yarn and chose the colors. Well, I decided on bold, bright color and she was almost appalled when I showed them too her. She didn’t know they made such loud colors. She told me I needed 24 rolls of yarn. She got right on it and had finished it in one week. She never dreamed one of her Afghans would make it to out west – let alone Idaho.

When I was transferred to a different area, she was the one I missed the most and hard to say goodbye to. She cried when I told her the news over the phone and she begged me to come visit her the next day before I left. We continued to keep in touch via short letters.
Her letters and short phone calls were like a broken record. She always asked how I was doing, how “Sue” was after I got married. She remembered my family, parents, and siblings names and eventually a pet or two. She happily gave you unwanted advice. She always told me to never go to bed angry at our spouse. And you always say your prayers. Never refer to your children as kids, because Bible never did and kids are baby goats anyway. She would only allow me to call her Rosie Posie. As a child, she was teased to tears by that name. But it was part of our relationship, so we allowed it.She would tease that she's a tame wolf, because she had an e on the end of her name.
For a few years we would get an occasional call or short note from Rosie. Then both letters and phone calls stopped and never heard from her again. I only assumed she passed away shortly after being in a nursing home. Rosie as a delightful person and was a wonderful kind soul. She loved service and being needed, whether a drink of water or sewing on a button to a shirt, she was doing what Christ would do. She is very dear to my heart and know that one day I will be able to give her a hug again.