Rose Marie Mckern

Rose Marie McKern, one of four children of Catherine (Castona) and Amada Colella, was born on September 3, 1930 in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. She grew up and attended school in Lansdowne. Rose Marie and her sister Josephine were adventurous. They moved to California for fun and Rose Marie found work as a waitress.

Rose Marie met Jackie Lew McKern, who was stationed with the military in California. They were married on March 13, 1963 in New Castle, Delaware. They made their home in Delaware and Maryland where Jack worked as a railroad brakeman for the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1996, they moved to live closer to Jack's family and made their home in Hastings, Iowa. Jack drove a truck for Trively Trucking in Lake Manawa, Iowa. In 2001, they moved to an acreage near Essex, Iowa. Jack retired in 2004, the same year he was diagnosed with cancer. They were married 42 years when Jack passed away in Shenandoah, Iowa on September 2, 2006.

Rose Marie was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Shenandoah, where she was a faithful member and supporter. She enjoyed being a wife and homemaker. Rose Marie enjoyed going to the beach in Ocean City, Maryland and feeding the seagulls.

Rose Marie passed away at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha on July 10, 2011, at the age of 80 years, 10 months, and 7 days. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jack; sisters, Theresa and Josephine; brother Amada; and brothers-in-law, Howard McKern, J.C. David Carter, and Bill Seher.

Rose Marie is survived by her niece Kathy Simpson and husband Ed of Orlando, FL; nephew Frank Novello of New Castle, DE; great niece Krista Carrol and husband Robert of Orlando; four great-great nieces and nephews; sisters-in-law, Betty Seher of Omaha, NE, Carol Carter of Glenwood, IA, and Joan McKern of Henderson, IA; brother-in-law Richard McKern and wife Kathie of Rulo, NE; and other relatives and friends.

Interment in the Malvern Cemetery.