Obituary for Rose Marie Ruth (Goessmann)
Rose Marie Ruth, a loving wife, daughter, sister, mother, grand mother, great grandmother, and a devout lifelong Catholic, died peacefully on December 27, 2022, with her six surviving children around her bedside at her daughter’s house.
Rose Marie was born at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, NY, on May 12, 1930. She was the cherished daughter of Maria and Joseph Goessmann, German immigrants from Northern Bavaria. The family along with brother Ernie lived on 149th St. Joseph was a baker and building superintendent and Maria was a homemaker. Rose Marie had a wonderful early childhood filled with wholesome family, school, and neighborhood memories. At age ten, the family bought a small apartment building “up county” on 242nd St. at the end of the No. 2 train line in the northeast Bronx. Rose Marie attended St. Francis of Rome grammar school and Cathedral High School. Always a motivated and hard working student, she graduated with honors, and multiple awards for typing and short hand. She attended business school for bookkeeping, and began working in Manhattan for the NY Life Insurance company.
At age 19, Rose Marie met the love of her life, Carl Frederick Ruth, a young handsome locksmith apprentice and future iron worker. Married a year later, what evolved was the infamous “Ruth Clan”, living in their modest attached brick house on 235th St. Over the next 14 years, by the time she was 34, Rose Marie delivered 7 healthy children, 4 girls and 3 boys, resulting in 9 people sharing a three bedroom house. Definitely the noisiest and busiest house on the block, Rose Marie was the captain of the ship with Carl always working two jobs, putting all seven children through parochial school. The Ruth house stories, adventures, and precious memories are endless.
In her mid thirties, Rose Marie reentered the work force, traveling into Manhattan to work as a kitchen manager for a private airline company. Well liked, she earned the respect of top executives, and her and Carl enjoyed the yearly dinner cruise on the company yacht. In her late 40s, Rose Marie delved into her spiritual life. She hosted weekly teen groups, weekend retreats, and religious workshops. She was a deep spiritual thinker, writer, reader, and speaker, and she was a Eucharistic minister. She enjoyed her own retreat each year in Cape May, NJ. Rose Marie was always learning, particularly regarding health, nutrition, and holistic remedies. She was creative, determined, and playful. She kept her mind sharp with jumbles, puzzles, playing scrabble, and trips to the local library. Rose Marie was always a sociable woman, with many close friends, dear relatives, and strong loving bonds with all of her children.
The Rosie grandma years spanned four decades, boasting 18 grand children and 5 great grand children! Rosie, granny, grammy, etc., she always had an open door policy with an abundance of energy, making each grand child feel especially loved and appreciated. Countless sleepovers, holidays, games, baking, walks, silliness, laughter, wittiness, and chats about old times…these and much more made granny so special! Having survived her husband from the age of 60, Rosie remained a thriving and independent woman living in Yonkers and then Pleasantville during her last three decades. She was truly the definition of having a “Wonderful Life”. Rosie’s near century of love, wisdom, and kindness will continue to influence the countless people who were lucky enough to have known her. And now in Jesus’ arms, we say Amen Rosie, we all love you deeply.
In lieu of flowers , donations can be made to Saint Jude's Children’s Hospital
Rose Marie was born at Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, NY, on May 12, 1930. She was the cherished daughter of Maria and Joseph Goessmann, German immigrants from Northern Bavaria. The family along with brother Ernie lived on 149th St. Joseph was a baker and building superintendent and Maria was a homemaker. Rose Marie had a wonderful early childhood filled with wholesome family, school, and neighborhood memories. At age ten, the family bought a small apartment building “up county” on 242nd St. at the end of the No. 2 train line in the northeast Bronx. Rose Marie attended St. Francis of Rome grammar school and Cathedral High School. Always a motivated and hard working student, she graduated with honors, and multiple awards for typing and short hand. She attended business school for bookkeeping, and began working in Manhattan for the NY Life Insurance company.
At age 19, Rose Marie met the love of her life, Carl Frederick Ruth, a young handsome locksmith apprentice and future iron worker. Married a year later, what evolved was the infamous “Ruth Clan”, living in their modest attached brick house on 235th St. Over the next 14 years, by the time she was 34, Rose Marie delivered 7 healthy children, 4 girls and 3 boys, resulting in 9 people sharing a three bedroom house. Definitely the noisiest and busiest house on the block, Rose Marie was the captain of the ship with Carl always working two jobs, putting all seven children through parochial school. The Ruth house stories, adventures, and precious memories are endless.
In her mid thirties, Rose Marie reentered the work force, traveling into Manhattan to work as a kitchen manager for a private airline company. Well liked, she earned the respect of top executives, and her and Carl enjoyed the yearly dinner cruise on the company yacht. In her late 40s, Rose Marie delved into her spiritual life. She hosted weekly teen groups, weekend retreats, and religious workshops. She was a deep spiritual thinker, writer, reader, and speaker, and she was a Eucharistic minister. She enjoyed her own retreat each year in Cape May, NJ. Rose Marie was always learning, particularly regarding health, nutrition, and holistic remedies. She was creative, determined, and playful. She kept her mind sharp with jumbles, puzzles, playing scrabble, and trips to the local library. Rose Marie was always a sociable woman, with many close friends, dear relatives, and strong loving bonds with all of her children.
The Rosie grandma years spanned four decades, boasting 18 grand children and 5 great grand children! Rosie, granny, grammy, etc., she always had an open door policy with an abundance of energy, making each grand child feel especially loved and appreciated. Countless sleepovers, holidays, games, baking, walks, silliness, laughter, wittiness, and chats about old times…these and much more made granny so special! Having survived her husband from the age of 60, Rosie remained a thriving and independent woman living in Yonkers and then Pleasantville during her last three decades. She was truly the definition of having a “Wonderful Life”. Rosie’s near century of love, wisdom, and kindness will continue to influence the countless people who were lucky enough to have known her. And now in Jesus’ arms, we say Amen Rosie, we all love you deeply.
In lieu of flowers , donations can be made to Saint Jude's Children’s Hospital