Rosemary Kathleen McMillen

Rosemary Kathleen McMillen passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 28, 2023, in Sun City, Arizona.

Rosemary was born on June 30, 1932, in Edina, Missouri, the third of five children to Vern C. and Mary (Rose) Goodwin. She grew up in Edina and attended Catholic grade and high school. She graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 1950.

Rosemary married her high school sweetheart Gene McMillen on January 24, 1953, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Edina, Missouri. Shortly after they were married Gene left for Korea and Rosemary attended Kirksville Teacher’s College where she earned her teaching credential. Rosemary taught at various schools throughout Iowa and Arizona before settling in Blythe, California until her retirement. When in Blythe, she is most fondly remembered as a Reading Teacher at Ruth Brown Elementary. She really enjoyed this time in her career because she was able to teach kids how to become a better reader. Soon thereafter, Gene and Rosemary moved to Sun City, Arizona where she enjoyed her sewing club where they sewed items for families of Luke Air Force Base. When visiting her she always had a little container of candy for your drive home or hid gas money in your car! Her grandkids and great grandkids enjoyed the many $2 bills they received from Grandma Rosie and Papa Gene for their birthdays!

Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Gene (November 21, 2018), daughter Barbara Ziber (October 14, 2014) of El Cajon, California as well as sisters Margie Branham and Dorothy Kauffmann, brother Frances Goodwin, mother Mary Goodwin, and father Vern C. Goodwin. As well as son-in-law Dale Hasha and Herschel Lyon

Rosemary is survived by five daughters, Becky McMillen of Sun City, Arizona; Mary Jeanne Brown (Greg) of Vista, California, Tish Thompson (Willard) of Milliken, Colorado, Lisa Bradford, (Roy) of Phelan, California, Theresa Hartman (Wendell) of Scottsville, Kentucky, sons Robb McMillen of Brush Prairie, Washington and Chris of Buckeye, Arizona  She is also survived by sister Verna Marie Dabney of Glendale Arizona, sister in-law Betty Hamilton (Gene) of Urbandale, Iowa.

Rosemary is survived by sixteen grandchildren Jonathan Howard (Ginny), Katie Wells (Nate), Megan Curan (Michael), Michael Lyon (Louise), Jeremy Bradford (Lisa), Joseph Bradford (Natalie), Elizabeth Howeth (Bill), Joey and Andy Ziber, Brianna, Danielle Dieter (Keaton), Clinton Baker (Cailee), Robbie and Derrick McMillen, and Cheyenne McMillen. She also is survived by twenty great-grandchildren – Elizabeth, Abraham, Samuel, Kailyn, Maleah, Axel, Judah, Madison, Hunter, Vivian,   Joshua, Justin, Juliette, Jace, Josie, Blakely, Harry, Jack, Annemarie and Rhett and three great-great grandchildren, Leslie, Christie and Carter.

Services will be held, Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 10:00 am at St. Joachim and St. Ann Catholic Church in Sun City, Arizona. Interment at 2:30 pm at National Memorial Ceremony of Arizona in Phoenix, Arizona. Menke Funeral Home of Sun City, Arizona will handle the arrangements.