Rosemarie Augusta Grandt Freeman “Rosie” made the world just a whole lot more beautiful in her 90 years of loving and living! Rosie passed away on February 2, 2019 in Hood River, Oregon. A friend to all, her vibrant personality, many talents and commitment to her values made her a woman that we will never forget! She was born on February 27, 1928 to William and Freida Grandt in Shawnee, Oklahoma who immigrated from Germany in 1922. Rosie graduated from Shawnee High School and went on to graduate from The Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. She worked at Hallmark Cards for a brief time. She married Pat Freeman Jr. on August 26, 1949 and moved to Thayer, Missouri. Thayer was her home until May 2018 when she moved to Hood River, Oregon to be near family.
Rosie was a woman of many talents and interests, but her artistic accomplishments were what she has been most recognized for over time. Rosie’s talent came to her through her father and grandfather who were painters and artists in Germany. As a child she was surrounded by creative and artistic influences. In her early twenties, after graduating from art school, she was poised to travel to Europe to continue fine tuning her skills and then fate played its hand. Meeting the love of her life, Pat Freeman, she settled in Thayer Missouri. Deep in the Ozark Mountains she continued to see everything with an artist’s eye and her talent blossomed. As she was a bit bohemian for this part of the country, folks raised an eyebrow or two seeing her barefoot, in jeans, sitting on the railroad track sketching trains that ran through the community. Everything was a magical opportunity to paint.
Rosie’s reputation grew and so did the respect she garnered in the community and surrounding area. Although she did not seek a commercial outlet for her art, she was generous with gifts for so many individuals. She was active in many community activities creating flyers, posters and logos over the years that promoted events with professional and creative visual approaches. Her love of art was pure and grounded in self-expression.
Some of her art can be viewed at the Ozark Medical Center Lobby in West Plains, Mo. where her murals of “Mills of the Ozarks” are displayed. She was also proud to have an exhibition of her work at the Columbia Gorge Community Art Center in Hood River, Oregon in September 2018.
Rosie was hardly a one-dimensional person. She was an avid gardener known for the summer flowers about her yard. She was an accomplished pianist and taught many local children privately as well as in the Thayer School system some years ago. She was athletic and was an avid golfer and tennis player becoming instrumental in the development of the Thayer Golf Course some years ago. She was an accomplished boat driver for competitive water skiing practice and was accomplished herself in the sport. She was an avid knitter and created numerous needle point pillows. She was a founding member of the Tuesday Book Club in Thayer which she hosted monthly at her home.
In her later years Rosie became an avid collector of vintage pottery and her collection was widely appreciated.
But the passion that consumed her every fall and most of the year was the Mizzou Football team. She and her husband Pat were season ticket holders for the games in Columbia, Missouri. Her love of the team continued to her passing. GO MIZZOU!
Rosie was a member of the First Baptist Church of Thayer where she played the organ and later was a member of the St. Paul’s United Methodist church where she attended until December 2017.
Among the many who will mourn the loss of Rosie’s spirit, friendship and talent include her children Pat and Christine, her daughter in law Camille and her beloved granddaughters Madison Rose and Nadya Christina. Many close friends will miss her, but possibly not as much as her dear, lifelong friend Joann. Her beloved pets, Pauley, Mizzou, Tiger, Friend and Cutie are comfortably in new forever homes. Rosie was a lover of all animals and always said that when she got to heaven there would be a “stampede” of all her beloved pets rushing to greet her.
Rosie deeply loved her family, friends, community, nature and her God. She left an indelible mark in both our visual world and our hearts!
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the St. Paul United Methodist Church in Thayer, Missouri with Pastor Pam Ekey officiating.
Interment will be held at Thayer Cemetery in Thayer, Missouri following the service.