Rosemary Haskell

ROSEMARY IRENE GRAY HASKELL

Ottumwa

Rosemary Irene Gray Haskell of Ottumwa went to be with the Lord on Jan. 5, 2020, at her home.

Rosemary was born on April 15, 1944, to Fred and Marjorie Estlack Gray on a farm in Monroe County, Iowa. Rosemary married Clifford D. McFarland in 1963 at North Court Baptist Church in Ottumwa. To this marriage, three children were born. In 1992, she married Elmer Haskell in Centerville, divorcing in 2016. She attended Blakesburg High School and graduated from Ottumwa High School in 1963.

At one time, she was a Girl Scout leader in Centerville and was a member of the Red Hat Society in which she had her chapter for 16 years in the Centerville/Albia area. She and her members enjoyed dressing up in Red Hat things, attending many events, traveling, eating out, a cruise and of course, the yearly conventions in Iowa and other states. She also was a member of the Blakesburg Garden Club. Other things she liked were enjoying her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, wearing her hats, gardening, auctions, movies, yard work and her flowers, singing in church, and of course traveling.

Rosemary was a member of the Solid Rock Church of God in Centerville. She loved to sing at church and attend her Tuesday/Wednesday Bible studies. Rosemary loved to do mission work in Chimbote, Peru. She made clothing for the children and many other items for them each year. She loved going to Peru as she would always call them "her kids." What amazed her the most each time is that the children would look at her and then come up and want to touch her silver-gray hair. Then usually one or two attached themselves to her constantly. She always hated to leave them.

Rosemary is survived by her three children, Shawn (Joni) McFarland of North Liberty, Kecia McFarland of Centerville and Travis (Gena) McFarland of East Troy, Wis.; her five grandchildren, Nichole McFarland (Mike Baines), Trent (Jaimie) McFarland, Kaylee McFarland, Conner McFarland and Kennedy McFarland; two great-grandchildren, Aidan Murphy and Hudson Baines; siblings, Geraldine (Robert) Glenn of Branson, Mo., Betty (Milton) Ubbink of Grandville, Mich., Leland (Evelyn) Gray of Bussey, Mable LaVonne Shirley of Knoxville and Phillip (Janice) Gray of Mountain Home, Ark.; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and her fiance, Dewane Dommer of Ottumwa.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; a sister, Marjorie Lea Anderson; a brother-in-law, John Shirley; a niece, Cynthia Baker; and several aunts and uncles.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Reece Funeral Home in Ottumwa with Pastor Tony Angran officiating. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Monroe County. Visitation begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday with the family present one hour prior to the service Thursday.

Memorials may be made to the Solid Rock Church of God in Centerville.