Tributes

Rosemary Messenger, beloved woman, wife, mother & grandmother, died on June 29st, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas. She suffered a two-year decline after a turn of pneumonia and a fall in her home. She was born Rosemary Theresa Schaefer on March 23, 1927 in Carroll, Iowa. She attended St. Bernard School for 12 years in Breda, Iowa graduating in May, 1944. She left home to attend the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. That same year, 1949, she married fellow Hawkeye, US Navy veteran Cloyce Henry (Buzz) Messenger in Iowa City. They relocated frequently (14 moves) for his engineering work through California, Florida & New Orleans, finally settling in San Antonio, TX in 1964. Rosemary worked as an RN in several locations, including many years at University Hospital (formerly Bexar County) and she later volunteered at North Central Baptist Hospital. In 2023, she was honored with a Living Tribute by the San Antonio Nurse Hospice Honor Guard. Rosemary was a founding member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church and its Altar Society, as well as serving with the Assumption Associates, each for over fifty years. She was also an avid fan of the Holy Spirit Los Amigos, Singles & Bunco Clubs. Their Homebound Outreach Ministry visited on a weekly basis and they brought her Holy Communion just two hours before her last breath. Rosemary was widowed in 1990 and took pleasure in her grandchildren. She also set about traveling. She crossed oceans 16 times on trips to Germany, France, Austria, Czech Republic, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Alaska, Hawaii & Bermuda. She enjoyed visits to Mexico, Canada, most US States and especially time with family in Iowa and Denver. She sustained a farm cleared & farmed by family members for 149 years. Rosemary read two daily newspapers and kept up with current events with hometown Breda, Hawkeye football & the SA Spurs. Many of her letters to the editors were published by the SA Express & News and The SA Light. A devotee of Lawrence Welk, big band singers, Texans Janis, Willie & George, she also enjoyed public TV, movies & plays. She watched the entire run of both long-running series, As the World Turns and Jeopardy. She wore flip-flops and was good at bridge, poker & bunco. Rosemary enjoyed lake & surf fishing, loved meals with family as well as a good BLT sandwich. She had beautiful handwriting and was known to pen postcards & letters on a daily basis to many. She was true to her school, especially the U. of Iowa College of Nursing, whose deans have long acknowledged her modest donations with personal letters & updates on the class of '49. She cared about her neighbors & delighted in chatting with them on a daily stroll. To sum, she possessed keen emotional intelligence, was an empathetic listener as well as a lifelong confidante to her family & friends. She will be deeply missed. She is survived by her two loving sons, Steve Messenger & wife Terri, Dennis Messenger & wife Sylvia; daughter, Kay Ness & husband Charles; grand-children, Mark Messenger & wife Ashley, John Messenger & wife Kira, Andrea Messenger, Helyn Messenger, Alexandra Messenger & partner Grant Specht, as well as numerous long-cherished friends. Rosemary is also survived by dear sister-in-law Lucille Schaefer and her high school classmate & lifelong pen pal Anna Mae Lawlor. She was blessed by close relationships with Kathryn Stoner, Nita Sword and nieces Karren Stone & Connie Stineman. To the end, she was continually nurtured by family, nurses and the loving caregiver angels who floated around her. Rosemary will be buried alongside her husband and their still-born son, Dean Messenger. The family is grateful to all who loved her. Please remember her by frequently enjoying a book as well as card games with family & friends. ∞

Tributes

Rosemary Messenger

March 23, 1927 - June 29, 2024