Lipsius, Rose Marie

Rose Marie Lipsius, 77, of Iowa City, died Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at Mercy Hospice Care in Iowa City after a courageous battle with cancer. Rose was a positive woman of true strength.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, July 18, at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City. Father John Speigel will officiate. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City, where a parish vigil service will begin at 7 p.m. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City.

Rose was born June 24, 1934, in Iowa City, the daughter of Salvatore and Nancy (Armetta) Cortimiglia. A lifelong Iowa City resident, Rose graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1952 and received her Orthoptic Technician Certificate in 1959. She worked in the eye department at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and then the Iowa City VA Health Care System.

She met and later married Ronald Lipsius on Dec. 27, 1961, at St. Mary's Church in Iowa City. In 1966, Ronald was killed during a robbery at the family-owned store. Rose went on to raise their four children, all under the age of three, with the youngest born two weeks after his death.

Rose was active in the Blind Veterans Golf Tournament, Christmas for Kids, was an election poll worker for Johnson County, and was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Bosom Buddies Cancer Support Group. She was very involved in her grandchildren's lives and loved attending their events. Rose loved to bake, read, do puzzles, shop, go to garage sales, walk her dogs, and garden.

She is survived by her children, Susan Larsen (Lynn) of Anita, Iowa, Richard Lipsius (Johnnie) of Midlothian, Texas, Dan Lipsius (Taressa) of Frytown, Iowa, and Carol Leigh (Don) of Iowa City; grandchildren, Angeline, Rachel, Dylan, Lucas, Richard, Joseph, Amanda, Rebecca and William; a sister, Ann Petruccelli of Waterloo; numerous nieces and nephews; and longtime companion, Gordon Hull.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and a brother, Leo.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice, Bosom Buddies Cancer Support (c/o Iowa City Cancer Treatment Center) or the Blind Veterans Association.