Margaret Louise Rose

Rose, Margaret Louise, November 28, 2019 age 106 of Westland. Margaret was an extraordinary woman that lived an equally extraordinary life spanning 106 years from October 25th, 1913 to November 28th, 2019. Margaret was often asked about her secret to living a long life to which she would always respond with her mantra, “Faith, Family and Friends”. She embraced every opportunity to meet and engage with people whether it was at her church, the various clubs and organizations she belonged or just a random meeting while out and about. Beloved by many, she left a lasting impression on those she met and developed many long lasting friendships over the years. Margaret is survived by her son John D. Rose, her daughter Judith (Judi) Kathryn (Rose) Rollin and son-in-law Tom Rollin, granddaughters Kristen LeAnne (Rollin) O’Brien and Jamin Jennifer Rollin, great grandchildren Shannon Elizabeth (O’Brien) Sheets and husband Jordan Sheets, Patricia Eileen O’Brien, Michael Declan O’Brien and great-great grandson Desmond Ellis Sheets. She will be greatly missed by her sister in law, Jean Rose as well as many other beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. Margaret was born and raised in the small town of Chatsworth, Illinois to Ralph and Catherine Borgman. Margaret’s four siblings Chester, Merna, Robert and Lila preceded her in death. Proud graduate of the high school in Chatsworth, Margaret was trained as a secretary and remained very close with her friends from school for many years. At 103, Margaret was honored as the oldest living Alumni of the high school in 2016. On January 22, 1944 she married Harold P. Rose (deceased), their journey would bring them to Michigan where they lived in Wayne for a short time then settled in Nankin Township which became Westland, Michigan where they raised their two children John and Judi. There is a family story that has been recalled over the years about “Grand River”, in letters Harold wrote to Margaret before they were married he would often mention Grand River. As Margaret had spent some of her early adult years living and working in Chicago, she had expected this Grand River to be similar to the Chicago River she was quite familiar with—only to find out that Grand River was not a river at all but a major thoroughfare in the Detroit area. Margaret worked as a secretary for the Health Services Department in the Wayne-Westland School District, she retired in 1979 having built a large network of colleagues and friends. Loved by everyone, she was a proud member of the social group named The Mushers which included retired Wayne Westland Schools secretaries for many years. The Mushers hold monthly breakfast meetings Margaret loved to attend and was able to do so through 2019 with the help of her son John and others that would drive her to the meetings. Margaret was also very active within the ABWA (American Business Women’s Association) and MARSP (Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel) still attending luncheons and other functions well into the 2000s. Other organizations that Margaret was actively involved with include the Order of the Eastern Star, The American Red Cross and her beloved “Lunch Bunch” along with many other numerous clubs, groups and organizations. Margaret felt a deep spiritual connection with her church family at The Kirk of Our Savior. She served as a church deacon for many years and often used to say “once a deacon, always a deacon”. Margaret tirelessly represented the spirit of the church as an ambassador that will be deeply missed. She welcomed and remembered each guest and member she met. She was a constant source of information regarding the long history of The Kirk and its members. She was known for and highlighted in the local paper for her card ministry, she took pride in recognizing life’s joys. Whether it was a wedding, birth of a child, new job, retirement, holiday or birthday chances were you’d receive a card from Margaret each and every year if you were a church member, relative or other friend she had made along the way. She had an extraordinary knack for making people feel special and remembering dates, names and milestones. 1000s of cards have been mailed over the years with personalized notes—she was a fixture at weddings, bridal & baby showers and just about every celebration you could name. Fueled by the love of engaging with others, her social calendar even into her 100s was quite impressive. She was grateful to have so many relatives, friends and colleagues that helped her attend so many terrific events as Margaret did not hold a driver’s license. Margaret was ever curious about where people had lived, visited or worked—an avid travel enthusiast she was fortunate to have many adventures over the years including cross-country car trips with her son John. A lover of geography, there never seemed to be a name or location that one could name that she had not traveled to or knew exactly where it was on the map. Many individuals can recount times that while talking to her on the phone she’d pull out her trusty atlas to chronicle the location often sharing some type of anecdote as well. Some of her favorite trips included Hawaii, many of the national parks in the West such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton and the Grand Canyon as well as many car trips which covered thousands of miles North, South, East and West. You’d name a town and chances were she had been there, knew someone that lived or traveled there. Her attention to detail and the ability to recount these trips was astounding. One especially memorable trip she’d love to share was a surprise trip to Chicago for her 100th birthday a town she truly loved. She and Judi flew on an airplane (which was an adventure all by itself at 100) and enjoyed the weekend with four generations of her family. Daughter Judi, granddaughter Kristen (and her husband Mike), great grandchildren Shannon, Patricia (Trish) and Michael. She was treated to a shopping spree along the Magnificent Mile, dinner downtown and viewed the musical “Wicked” at the Chicago Theater. It was a bit of a “homecoming” as Margaret had instilled a love for Chicago within her family. In 1977, she traveled to Chicago with Judi to see the King Tut exhibit which included spending the night on the steps of the Field Museum to get tickets making fast friends with the crowd as they waited in line. Margaret also took each of her granddaughters Kristen and Jamin on separate trips to Chicago when they were young girls via train that left lasting impressions. She and John spent many happy hours on car trips to visit numerous friends and family in the Chicago area as well. Margaret touched the lives of so many and will be deeply missed. Visitation Thursday, December 5th, 2-8 PM and Friday, December 6th, 1-8 PM at Vermeulen- Sajewski Funeral Home, 980 N. Newburgh Road (between Ford Road and Cherry Hill) Westland. In state Saturday, December 7th 9:30 AM until the 10 AM Funeral Service at Kirk of Our Savior Church, 36660 Cherry Hill Road, Westland. Interment Cadillac Memorial Gardens, Westland. Memorial contributions may be made to the church. 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Margaret Louise Rose

October 25, 1913 - November 28, 2019