Remembering Rosey
I just wanted to talk about Nancy as a friend or Rosey as we called her at Sigma Kappa when we attended Bradley University several years ago. I first met Rosey in 1974 during Sorority rush. I became friends with Rosey very quickly as I was the Pledge president and Rosey and Sue Tauber were our pledge trainers. I remember Rosey as being extremely sweet and understanding. Rosey was the person who we all would have loved to have as a Pledge mom. Diane and April were her lucky pledge daughters!! Rosey was so warm, friendly, and always there to talk when you needed support. She had the heart of a champion. She and Julie Rae were roommates when I first moved into the house. If you wanted to find Rosey you could almost always find her in her room with the yellow bathrobe on and in her bed. She was highly intelligent, but I think she felt she really didn’t need to go to classes as she could do all from her room in her bed.
After graduation she and Patrice ventured off to Houston where they lived for about 1 1/2 years. She worked in retail and Patrice nursing. She came to Chicago after leaving Houston and I talked her into becoming the administrative assistant to the Director of Nursing at the U of I Hospital where I worked at the time. Shortly after she worked at U of I she met the love of her life David. They were married and then she became a mom. She loved being a mom to Josh, Zach and Katie. She also loved being a Sigma Kappa and became a member of the Chicago Northwest Towns Sigma Kappa Alumni group. She was an active member of the group and held several offices. She was responsible for getting me involved in the group a few years ago. I think she especially loved the group as Jill and Ruthie were members as well. I really enjoyed spending more time with Rosey. I will always cherish the time I spent with her!! She was always there to talk to and always had a laugh or a smile even when she wasn’t feeling well. I especially loved our lunches together. She would always want a simple lunch like Olive Garden. I would ask where we should eat lunch and she would give me that smile and laugh and say Olive Garden. I talked her into Egg harbor usually because as we all know she loved breakfast and she could eat breakfast food any time of day. I loved that about her!!
I know she struggled with her health at times and after her daughter Katie’s death she was lost. It was like she lost a piece of herself. She struggled with her health and it took a while, but she did get stronger and was less sad. When we went for lunch, she always gave me updates on Zach and Josh and their latest achievements. She was so happy when Zach and Luba got married and was looking forward to them living close to her. Rosey loved her life with David and her many too many cats. Then a year ago she lost her best friend Julie Rae. That was devastating to her. She loved to talk to Julie!! I know she missed her desperately. Rosey faced her illness with determination and grit! She was looking forward to being a grandmother. As David told me she had the heart of a lion!! Unfortunately, her body wasn’t as strong. We are all better humans because we knew Rosey. She was one of a kind with her strong spirit and love for her friends. She will be missed!!
Her one and only PP.
Pamela (PP) Fantus
April 8, 2021
