Rose Marie Goodheart-Lenk

It is with heartfelt sadness that we announce the passing of Rose Marie Goodheart-Lenk, a cherished mother and member of Liberty Ohio, Fort Myers and Tampa Florida communities, who left us peacefully on April 3, 2024, one week after her 95th birthday. Born on March 26, 1929, in Liberty Ohio, to Arthur and Mary Jonas, Rose lived a full life marked by the love she shared with those around her. Rose was an Eastern Star member of the Grand Chapter of Ohio for 70 years. She also loved painting while living in Fort Myers, and often painted landscapes and animals. She was known for her kindness, as she lovingly gave treats to the neighborhood dogs in Tampa and provided affection to her furry friends. Her sports enthusiasm was undeniable, with a profound loyalty to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Reds. She also liked to watch college baseball and basketball.

She married Rev. Jesse Merritt Goodheart in 1954. Her only child, Mary Jo, was born a couple of years after they were married and lived in Illinois. In January of 1961, they moved to Fort Myers, and Rev. Goodheart was chosen to be the pastor of the church near the Thomas Edison Museum. Sadly, Rev. Goodheart passed away on July 4,1961 in Liberty Ohio when the family was attending a family reunion. After his funeral Rose and Mary Jo left Ohio and went back to Fort Myers.

Before Rose got married, she was diagnosed in her 20's with Fuch’s Dystrophy, a cornea disease, which usually occurs in people over 60. She had her first cornea transplant in Miami, FL when her daughter was 8 years old. When Rose had surgery, her mother came to stay with Mary Jo in Fort Myers because Rose had to stay in Miami for 6 weeks. Over the years, Rose had 7 total corneal transplants, 3 in one eye, and 4 in the other. Rose got a job in a Fort Myers Beach hotel when her daughter went to college in Tampa.

Years later, Rose started going back to her parents’ home in Liberty, in the summer, to visit her family and friends. After a few years, she met up with Donald Lenk, whom she had known when she was in high school. They started talking to each other while she was in Liberty, and when she came home to Fort Myers, they called each other regularly. He eventually came down to see her in March 1995 for 10 days, and when he left, they told Mary Jo that they were getting married in August, on her birthday. Once they were married, they spent winters at her home in Fort Myers, FL, and summers at his farm home in New Lebanon, OH.

In 2007, her daughter and son-in-law thought it would be good for them to move to Tampa as they were getting older. Mary Jo and Mainor’s neighbors sold their home, and Rose and Don moved into it in spring of 2008. Soon, Rose and Don joined Mary Jo as volunteers at Tampa General Hospital. Sadly, on March 18, 2010, Rose lost her husband, Donald Lenk, to heart failure. Luckily, she lived next door to her daughter and son-in-law, in Tampa, so they could keep an eye on her and take care of her as she aged.

Rose was preceded in death not only by her 2 parents, and 2 husbands, but by her brother “Scud” Jonas, and his wife Esther, and her sister Joy Hoffman and her husband Jerry. She is survived by her daughter Mary Jo Hart and her son-in-law, W. Mainor Hart, nephews Mike Jonas (and wife Paddy) Jonas, and Pat Jonas (and wife Rebecca) and their children and grandchildren. She also leaves behind many beloved families, friends and the neighborhood dogs who will forever cherish her memory.

A visitation will be held on Monday, April 8, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Blount & Curry Life Event Center, located at 605 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL 33609. We invite all who knew and loved her to join in celebrating her remarkable life and to share memories of the joy she brought to our lives.

A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Palma Ceia Methodist Church, located at 3723 W Bay to Bay Blvd Tampa, FL 33629.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, April 21, 2024 from 2-4pm at Rogers Funeral Home in New Lebanon. A funeral service will take place on Monday, April 22nd at 11:00 am, held at Liberty United Methodist Church, 7840 Pemberton Dr, Dayton, Ohio 45417.