Rosemary L. Newman

Our beloved Rosemary went to join all of the other angels on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Rosemary Theresa Leedy was born in Odessa, WA on August 21,1923 to Charles and Theresa (Guth) Leedy. The family later moved to Oregon, where she graduated from Sisters High School. She met James Crothers, who was in the Army while she was attending business school in Tacoma, WA. They married and had two sons, James Michael (October 3, 1944 - October 13, 2018) and Eugene David (April 26, 1947) while living in Bend, OR. She brought her boys to Dayton, WA to be closer to brother and sister-in-law Taylor and Lucille Leedy and her parents in the early 1950s. Rosemary was employed in the Green Giant administration office for more than 20 years. She reunited with her former neighbor from Bend who had been a widower for a number of years and married Don Newman in 1971, returning to live in Bend, OR. Don passed away in 1993. Rosemary returned to live in Dayton to be closer to family and friends since 2003. 

Growing up with Taylor, working, raising her two sons, visiting with family and catching up with friends were the highlights of Rosemary's life. Mike and Gene kept her on her toes when they were growing up. Stories of her being a fast runner and sometimes having to be a strict parent were not made up. Rosemary became a dear friend to Bonnie and Bette Lou. The births of her grandchildren made her life complete. Megan usually spent a week with her every summer learning to cook and bake, planting Cosmos, feeding the birds, camping and of course fishing and playing card games. Kim and Jennifer spent vacations with her talking about their lives, playing games and kept her updated on everything happening in Dayton. 

Rosemary loved when she could work around her house and yard. Baking, cleaning, planting flowers, working a crossword puzzle, cooking meals and keeping up with her family's lives, often all at the same time. She became an excellent fisherwoman for trout on the McKenzie River in Oregon. She and Don would pack up their camper and fish three or four of their favorite fishing holes and state parks in one weekend until they caught their 'limit'. They became expert at smoking it, but nothing was as delicious as her homemade individually hand-wrapped caramels, divinity, fudge and her famous 'M&M Monster Cookies' during the holidays. 

She was so grateful to the men her granddaughters married, and they adored Rosemary right back. Jim made many trips and always enjoyed visiting with her, Byron and Casey checked up on her and always made sure they got her safely to holiday dinners, even when they had to carry her with a broken foot! Casey always made sure to take her around town to see the Christmas lights, which to her was priceless. 

Rosemary's great grandchildren made her so proud. She kept up on every activity and detail of their busy lives and always ensured that they had what they needed and wanted. Everyone remembers playing cards and Yahtzee with her because laughter filled the house. She never forgot any family member's birthday and always included a gift. She will greatly be missed by her family, friends and acquaintances, who will love her forever and miss her sweet, caring ways and matter-of-fact personality that filled every conversation with stories, trivia and anecdotes that she had heard or read about.

Sons Mike Crothers (Bonnie), Gene Crothers (Bette Lou); Stepsons Brad Newman, David Newman; nephews Charles Leedy, James Leedy (Marilee); Niece Joyce Maitland (Jim); Grandchildren Megan Hahn (Jim), Kimberlea Seney (Byron), Jennifer Hughes (Casey); Great Grandchildren Keelie Kirby, Autumn Skye Hahn, Tayven Seney, Sadie Seney, Bryer Hughes. Numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren and Goddaughter Patricia Wood.