Rosemary Stevens Sanders Wytcherley

Rosemary Stevens Sanders Wytcherley, age 78, of Grants Pass, died Friday, June 17, 2016, at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center. Rosemary was predeceased by her parents, her siblings, her first husband Ivan, and two of her children, Donna and Steve.

Rosemary was born on August 13, 1937, in Elizabethtown, NY. Her parents, Frank Adams Stevens and Analita Augusta Brown Stevens, received their bundle of joy, adding to their growing family. Her siblings, Frank Durand (Dirk) & Margaret (Margie) were especially glad to welcome her to the family.

When Rosemary was growing up in her beloved Adirondack Mountains, her folks owned & operated the local soda fountain/pharmacy - CN Williams. She spent many a happy day with her Grandmother Brown (Bamie), her sister & cousins (Jim and Chuck Bailey, Dort Provoncha, Roberta, Margaret, Ingrid, Tom, and George Brown).

Rosemary graduated as Salutatorian of her class at Elizabethtown High School in 1954. She graduated from Ottawa University in Kansas where she received her nursing degree. She met Ivan Sanders at a youth camp near Elizabethtown, where her tender heart toward children touched him deeply. At the time, Ivan was stationed at Plattsburgh Air Force Base, so they began writing letters. Rosemary believed & trusted Jesus as her Savior at a young age. She openly professed her imperfections, and her love for her Savior grew and transcended everything she did. Rosemary was the epitome of “there are no strangers only people I haven’t met yet.” She really tried to see people as Jesus sees them – special & loved.

Ivan & Rosemary married in Elizabethtown, NY, on June 24, 1961. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Juneau, Alaska where the family lived for over 30 yrs. in Alaska. Rosemary worked at St Ann’s Hospital, and then later at Bartlett Memorial Hospital, where she retired in the early 1990s. They moved to Grants Pass, Oregon in 1993 when they both retired. They enjoyed many great rides on their motorcycle, with a lot of cross country trips and a lot of singing together.

Rosemary and Ivan raised 7 children in Alaska – Elizabeth, Donna, Janice, Steve, Roseann, Yvonne and Zenita. As the children grew into adulthood, they married, adding their spouses to the family, and soon the house was bubbling over with dozens of grandchildren & great grandchildren (even some great- great-grandchildren). Rosemary often quoted “Children are a crown of old age”.

In the Spring of 2007, Ivan passed away after a chronic illness. One of the things Rosemary missed greatly was singing with Ivan. Then in 2009, the Lord brought Rosemary & Allan Wytcherley together, and they married. Allan had also been praying for a wife who would sing with him. The Lord answered both their prayers for a singing partner. Their 7 years together was spent ministering to others with their music, and boy did they had fun!! When she married Allen, she said “my family doubled & the joy doubled”. There was an instant mutual love between them as well as their two families.

Family and friends were important to Rosemary. She would do whatever it took to visit someone. There were frequent cross country trips. A normal eight hour drive could take Rosemary two full days to complete, because she would zig zag to meet up with someone. The sparkle in her eye said it all, “I love you and have missed you. So nice to see you.”

“It was a real pleasure to live with Rosemary as my wife these 7 yrs. We said to each other often, I love you & I appreciate you. I am plumb blest.” Love Allan

A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Friday, June 24, 2016 at Redwood Country Church, 1640 Redwood Avenue, Grants Pass with a potluck following the service. For further information, please call 541.441.0883.