Murray, Rose Marie

Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Rose Marie Murray, 78, a resident of Bettendorf, will be 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 4097 18th St., Bettendorf. Visitation will be Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, 614 Main St., Davenport. There will be additional visitation at the church on Monday from 9 a.m. until the time of the mass. Burial will be in National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal.

Rose Marie died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf.

Rose Marie Melvina Robitaille was born April 30, 1931, in Duluth, Minn., to Arthur Joseph and Alexandrine (Boisjoli) Robitaille. Her parents both spoke Canadian French fluently and spoke their second language frequently while raising Rose Marie in Duluth. Rose Marie and Charles D. Murray met on a blind date following Chuck's service in the Navy during World War II. They were united in marriage on June 14, 1952, in Duluth, and have shared over 57 years of marriage together. They moved to Davenport, where their first child, Stephen, was born in 1955. After moving to Cedar Rapids, their daughter, Susan, was born in 1957; son, David, was born in 1958, and their fourth child, Daniel, was born in 1962.

Rose Marie had worked as a secretary for Superior Wood Products in Duluth. While living in Cedar Rapids, Rose Marie returned to the work force first as a legal secretary and then as an elementary school secretary at Grant Wood School. She had been a member of All Saints Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, and St. John Vianney, Bettendorf. She enjoyed making homemade bread, cooking, canning and freezing fresh peaches, which was a family favorite. She was passionate about sewing and had won several sewing contests titled “Make it with Wool.” Rose Marie was very proud of her accomplishments, and so was her family. She always enjoyed road trips to Iowa, Colorado and Washington, where waiting at the end of the destination were her pride and joy, her grandchildren.

Rose Marie loved to laugh, and that laugh will be missed.

Memorials may be made to St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Bettendorf.

She is survived by her loving husband, Charles; their four children, Stephen (Judith) Murray, Littleton, Colo., Susan (Craig) Reams, West Des Moines, David (Jeanne) Murray, Austin, Texas, and Daniel (Dianna) Murray, Seattle, Wash.; grandchildren, Ashton, Samantha, Colin, Alek, Clark, McKenna and Kyler; and a special niece, Nancy Gilbertson-Dutch, Houston, Texas.

Rose Marie was preceded in death by her parents; and a sister, Laurelle Ann. May they rest in peace.

Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed by visiting Mrs. Murray's obituary at