Rose A. Schwanke
Rose A. Schwanke
Rose Aleta Schwanke passed into the presence of Jesus on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Hillside Medical Lodge in Gatesville, Texas. Rose was born Oct. 5, 1934, in Warren, Pennsylvania to Ralph Irvine and Jennie Lynn Irvine (Smith). On Aug. 16, 1952, Rose and Wayne Carl Schwanke were married, and that union endured nearly 65 years until Wayne’s death in January 2017. Rose was employed at Sylvania in the first few years of her marriage, and went on to work at the Watson Home and Warren General Hospital as a Nurse’s Aide for several years, finishing her career there as a Home Health Aide, which she loved.
In 1971 Rose and Wayne moved from Warren to Scandia into the home they built together. In the nearly 47 years they lived in Scandia, Rose served on the diaconate and was a Sunday School teacher at Scandia Covenant Church, and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary at the Scandia Volunteer Fire Department. Her favorite pastimes were gardening and birdwatching. Rose also enjoyed traveling and an occasional Riesling.
Rose was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Guy Carlton Irvine, Ronald Irvine; sisters, Midge Irvine, and Lynn Merrylees, husband, Wayne; grandson, Kyle Wayne Wadsworth; great grand-daughter, Sophia Rose Wadsworth; great grand-daughter Shayde Elizabeth Smith; and son-in-law, Richard Wadsworth Jr.
Rose is survived by her brother Ralph (Patricia) Irvine, daughters, Sheila Wadsworth, Jennifer (Ted) Marston, both of Colorado, sons, Craig, of Ashburn, Virginia, and Kirk (Janice) of Gatesville, Texas, 10 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren, and several nieces, and nephews.
Celebration of Life for Rose will tentatively be held Sunday, July 27 in the afternoon in Scandia, Pennsylvania at the Scandia Fire Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind at 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598. Or at GuidingEyes.org.