Rosemarie Jacquelyn Schulte

Rosemarie Jacquelyn Schulte was known affectionately as Rosie. To her grandchildren she was Grandma Rosie, the funny lady of hearty hugs.

She was born on 28 August 1929 at Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI and was given the name Jacqueline Lewis by her birth mother, Helen Lewis.  Joe and Sadie Schulte wanted a baby girl and hearing about one at St. Agnes Foundling Home in Kalamazoo, they made arrangements to adopt her on 15 October 1929. She was baptized 20 October 1929 at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kalamazoo as Rosemarie Lewis. Her name was legally changed to Rosemarie Jacquelyn Schulte. She became Joe and Sadie's pride and joy.

Rosemarie was raised a Catholic and took great solace in her faith throughout her life. She was a member of St. David's in Detroit; Sacred Heart in Roseville; St. Thecla and St. Paul of Tarsus both in the Mt. Clemens area. In 1945 she was a bridesmaid in her cousin Henry Knoche's marriage to Mary Lou Ruhlman where Wally joined the festivities in Lapeer while home on leave.

Rosemarie graduated on 8 June 1947 from St. David High School in Detroit. St. David's Catholic Church and High School were built on land donated by and with the financial support of David Trombly's widow. David was related to Rosemarie's maternal grandfather, Alfred Trombly. The graduating class of 1947 had a 40th reunion party in 1987 and continued having reunions each year after that in classmates' homes. The 1993 reunion was cheerfully hosted by Rosie in her new Clinton Township home.

Rosemarie worked at Sanders Ice Cream and Candy Parlor in Detroit part-time during her later high school years. She was employed by Michigan Bell Telephone Co., as a phone operator, after her family moved to Roseville until she got married. When her children were small she sold toys, her first foray into the world of sales.

Rosie was employed by Tupperware Sales from the mid 1960s until the early 1990s.  She began her successful Tupperware career as a Consultant and soon became a Manager. To receive some of her awards, she traveled to Orlando, FL to Tupperware headquarters. She was there in 1970 when the new International Headquarters was dedicated. Among her numerous awards she received Record Breaking Unit in 1969, Star Spangled Unit in 1971, Spirit of Sharing Manager in 1973 and The Circle of Friends.

Rosemarie Jacquelyn Schulte married Walter Samuel Jeske, son of Samuel Jeske and Theresa Maria Oelenkamp, on Wednesday 7 Sep 1949 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Roseville. Rosemarie wanted to be married on her parents' anniversary. Father McScherry performed the wedding ceremony at a 9:00 a.m. Mass. Michael Berkholz, a friend from her old Detroit neighborhood, was the best man. Jackie Trombly, her cousin, was the maid of honor. Bridesmaids were cousin Marion Schulte, who later married Mike Berkholz, and Mary Davis, a St. David's pal; bridegrooms were Phil Bonner and Donald Kortes. Ted Banach, Jr. was the ring bearer and Arlene Lyons was the flower girl, both cousins of Rosemarie's.

Their  wedding reception was held at her parents' home. Afterwards, Rosie and Wally traveled through Northern Michigan for their honeymoon. They renewed their vows on 16 April 1989 at St. Thecla Church in Mt. Clemens, along with many other couples, then celebrated with family at the Fern Hill Country Club.

Rosie and Wally wanted a large family. They had six children, three girls and three boys. Their fifth child, Steven Walter Jeske, died two days after birth due to a congenital heart defect.

She and Wally first began married life in a small apartment, but her father convinced them to move in with the family until their own house was built on Hazelwood in Roseville in July 1951. Many relatives lived nearby over the years: also on Hazelwood were Jesse and Marie Schulte, Elmer and Marie Schulte, Jim and Shirley Schulte. On Brohl, the next street over were Mary Schulte, Lidwina and Ed Geiger, Bill and Caroline Schulte, Ted and Marcella Banach, Henry and MaryLou Knoche. Mariana and Darleen would go over to see Tommy Knoche and Linda Harvey a childhood and current friend. Wally's parents and his two younger sisters lived on 11 Mile Rd, not far away. Joe and Sadie Schulte lived on 13 Mile Rd along with Alfred J. Trombly and his three daughters.

Between August 1956 and April 1991, Rosie and Wally raised their family and lived at 35910 Larchwood in Mt. Clemens. Rosie's beautifully decorated home from April 1991 until she died in June 1995 was at 18433 Cranbrook, Clinton Township. Wally continued to live there until his death in April 1998.

Rosie loved a good card game. She belonged to the Schulte Club, a Larchwood Neighbors Club and others. After their children were grown, Rosie would spend a week in the summer at her cousin Marion's place in Lexington where card marathons ruled the day. Rosie's acumen and flair for card playing were legendary. She also enjoyed dining out with family or her girlfriends, one group known as The Lunch Ladies. She'd be ready to pass along a good joke or many an amusing story.

Other favorite pastimes included reading, ceramics, needlework, rug latchhook and crewel embroidery. Her children now have her lovely creations displayed in their homes.

Rosie and Wally enjoyed traveling together and also with the Larchwood crowd. Their travels included many continental States, Canada, England in 1976, and Hawaii.  Rosie and the Larchwood girls went on a few road trips as well. After 1995 the girls would always have a toast in her honor.

Rosie was always lending a helping hand in the community: at her children's school as lunch mom, collecting bus money from parishioners for her children and theirs to attend catechism, as a cook in a soup kitchen, as a Joshua Tree sponsor for a child at Christmas and as a supporter for many organizations.

The last few months of her life Rosie and everyone she knew figured her tiredness was a result of caring for Wally. In mid May 1995, she was told she was seriously ill and a round of tests began. It was determined that she had predominantly follicular small-cleaved Type B Stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which may have progressed to a more aggressive Type making her diagnosis more difficult and time consuming. Two days after exploratory surgery, she had a cerebral hemorrhage, followed by pneumonia. She was released to home hospice care. Rosemarie Jacquelyn Schulte died on 20 June 1995 at her home, at age 65. Mariana, Jill and Darleen were at Rosemarie's side at the time of her death. Her other children and as many grandchildren as possible were nearby.

Her funeral Mass was on Friday, 23 June 1995 at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church. Pallbearers were grandsons Bryan Shipway and Craig Shipway, son-in-law Robert Kopacz, grand-daughter Jill Kopacz, sons Alan and Robert Jeske. She was buried on 23 June 1995 at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, near the Fourth Station of the Cross, Jesus meets his Sorrowful Mother. This gentle yet spirited lady was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, godmother and friend - truly a hostess to the world.

Rosie's youngest son, Robert, was found in his apartment early on 20 September 2000 having had a heart attack late the night before. Her eldest son and namesake of her father, Alan Joseph Jeske, "Big Al, Al-Bro" died of kidney cancer the day before Thanksgiving, 23 November 2005. Her youngest daughter, Kathy, a registered respiratory therapist, died unexpectedly on 28 July 2007.