Rosemary Rita Clouse

Our mother was born Rosemary Altwies on October 29, 1923, the first child to Charles and Mary of Tiffin, Ohio. Grandpa was a baker, and from him Mom learned her cooking skills; which proved to be a valuable prerequisite for keeping eight kid’s appetite satisfied. But, did she ever use a recipe for most things? I don’t think so, and that led to her becoming known as the “dumper” when cooking. Some of this, some of that, and… it needs more of this. Her technique and judgement worked well, because at the end of each meal all our plates were clean - or had to be before we could leave the table.

Mom graduated from high school in 1941, six months before the U. S. became involved in World War II. She very much wanted to go to nursing school, but was never afforded the opportunity. She found work at a drug store, and as fate would have it, she was introduced to an Army infantryman who was home on leave - and they fell in love. Duty called, and our dad “to be” had to leave his new sweetheart, and shipped out to fight in the Pacific theater along with thousands of other brave young men. Then, at the end of the war he was among the lucky ones who returned home. After his convalescence from combat related issues they married on December 26, 1945.

Dad was a farmer. So his intent was converting his feisty city bride to a farm girl. Mom did her best in adapting to her new life on the farm, but things were soon complicated by crawling babies and running toddlers. Eight kids from 1947 to 1955 - and this was a very long time before disposable diapers came along. How did one woman keep up with the demands of having two kids in diapers, a couple toddlers, and the mischievous older kids – along with the farm related chores that had to be done? Mom was a tough woman! Many stories have been repeatedly told and retold about the challenges she encountered adapting to farm life, although many of them we didn’t hear until after Dad passed in 1981.

Life didn’t get easier for her after that first decade. With times being tough she and Dad took a second job, and sometimes a third, to keep us fed and clothed. As children we didn’t comprehend the significance of this at the time, but in retrospect they were very responsible and caring parents; simply doing what had to be done. The point of this is, we didn’t get to spend a great deal of time with Mom, or Dad, while we were growing up. They were always working. As children, it is easy during those times to find fault with that type of situation. But then as adults, raising our own children and dealing with our own challenges of life and parenthood, the circumstances of our youth gain clarity and understanding.

When looking back in time, a standard often used in accessing how anyone’s parents did their job is simply observing how their children turned out. On that scale, our parents did a super job! They instilled in us the value of honesty, a good work ethic, the worth of a dollar in our pocket, and respect.

Rosemary Rita Clouse passed from this life on August 5, 2021 at 10:07 a.m. She is survived by seven children, 23 grandchildren, 50 great grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. She often commented that Dad would come for her when it was her time, and now the former sweethearts are together again.

Mom’s visitation will be at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park 12777 State Road 82 Fort Myers, FL 33913 on Friday, August 13th from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. Her Funeral Mass will be at St. Raphael Catholic Church 2514 Lee Blvd. in Lehigh Acres at 10:00 am. She will be laid to rest next to Dad at Lee Memorial Park Cemetery immediately following mass.