Rose Ricketts

Rose E. Lee-Ricketts was independent and hard working, almost to a fault. She took pride in doing things for herself and rarely asked anyone for help. Instead, she cared for others and stayed active with family and friends. Throughout her life, Rose’s enthusiasm and vigor enabled her to run circles around most people in their 20s.

Rose was born just a few months after the U.S. stock market crash that sent the nation into economic depression. Yet families managed to make life pleasant in the midst of harsh conditions by their resilient spirit and hopeful outlook. One such family in Glendale, Michigan was especially forward-looking as they approached Christmas 1929. That year, Lyle and Veva (VanSlyke) Stowman.welcomed their first daughter into their hearts and home on December 25. Rose was truly a wonderful gift and a lovely child.

The oldest of five daughters, Rose enjoyed her childhood, living on the farm where she was born and attending a county school. The girls often spent their days on their own, but they always came home around the same time to spend the evening together. The importance of family time remained with Rose throughout her life.

Rose was a very pretty girl, who was good at meeting people and making friends easily. One young man who caught Rose’s attention was Gaylord DeBoer of Rockford, Michigan. Their romance led them to marriage and then rural family life with the births of their children: Lyle, Peggy and Gayla. The marriage, however, ended in divorce. Rose then married Bob Ricketts and lived in Paw Paw, Michigan with two sons born to them: Bob and Danny.

Over the years, Rose divorced Bob, married Johnny Hoyt of Schoolcraft, Michigan and divorced, and in the early 70s, met and married Ed in Toledo, Ohio. The couple lived at Ed’s place on 60th Avenue on the south side of Mattawan. In the late 70s, Rose experienced some health problems and moved out, later divorcing. Though her marriages may not have lasted, her relationships with her children and grandchildren were filled with fond memories. Among them are the following:

Rose’s daughter Maggie remembers going with her husband and three young daughters to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the night. The next morning Rose got up and cooked a hot breakfast for all of them, causing Maggie to remark that she had forgotten what a hot "egg" tasted like. Recently, her husband Don bought a cake for Rose’s birthday and told everyone that he had made it. However, when they started asking how to make the icing, Don had to confess the cake was store-bought. With an "awe you...," Rose broke into laughter, and they all enjoyed the delicious “joke.”

Granddaughter Tonya was 5 or 6 years old when Grandma would pack a brown sack lunch for her, and the two of them would go to work with Rose. Tonya routinely picked a lollipop out of the kitchen drawer for her snack after lunch. She ate with Grandma, then took a nap before they finished their work together, either picking asparagus or working at the apple cider mill.

Laura was in 6th grade when Grandma came over for the night, took her to the store and bought sour cream Pringle potato chips. Neither of them had ever tried that flavor, but they went back home to watch "Golden Girls" and laughed for the entire half hour while eating every chip in the container.

Grandpa Eddie had the best time with Rose when he bought a bucket of chicken and a 6-pack and listened to country music together. That was one of the many activities that kept Rose active. She enjoyed shopping at thrift stores with her daughter Gayla, and she was an avid gardener. From her childhood years of caring for pigs, chickens, a horse and many dogs on the farm, Rose treated her pets well. She even fixed homemade breakfasts and dinners for them.

At the age of 79, Rose was still working, taking care of adult foster care residents in her home. For recreation, she liked to go on bus outings to the casino and play bingo. Of the many games that she played, Rose especially liked Parcheesi and Skip-bo. Over the years, she and her sisters had spent a lot of time together at their mother’s house, playing an assortment of board and card games.

Trips to Florida were among Rose’s favorite vacations, and she was looking forward to the upcoming winter when she could spend a lot of time fishing. Sadly, she died at her home on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. She will be sorely missed and fondly remembered by all who loved her dearly.

Rose E. (Stowman) Lee-Ricketts, age 79 of Mattawan, Michigan was preceded in death by her parents, 2 sons Robert and Daniel and 2 sisters; Lylene Boysen, Ruby Cramer. Survivors include 3 children; Lyle DeBoer, Maggie “Peggy” (Don) Gaw, Gayla McMahon, 9 grandchildren; Brett (Teerha) DeBoer, Shane DeBoer, Tonya (Mark) Hiller, Darla Sanders, Laura Christensen, D. Bo DeBoer, Robert Ricketts, Tiffany Ricketts, Tyler Ricketts; 16 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and her partner, Ed Lee.Learn more about Rose and visit with her family and friends at the open house on Saturday from 1-3 PM at the family’s home 53640 26th Street; Mattawan. Please visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign her guest book and share a memory or photo. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kalamazoo Humane Society, the American Cancer Society or an Adult Foster Care (AFC) home of your choosing.