Rose Mary (Harms) Means

Rose Mary (Harms) Means, 77, passed away on June 28, 2013, at her family home  in Monument, Colo., from complications resulting from a stroke.

Rose Mary was born on July 5, 1935, to Clarence and Alida (Schmidt)  Harms of Butler County, and was reared on their family farm near Whitewater. She  attended Bethel College in North Newton, later transferring to Kansas State  Teacher’s College in Emporia. She had taught previously using a  certificate.

Rose Mary met and married her husband, Curtis, while both were  students at KSTC. She gave birth to her first son, Steve, while she was a  senior. Rose graduated from KSTC with a degree in education.

Upon graduation from KSTC, Rose and her new small family moved to  San Francisco, Calif. They later lived in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho and  Colorado and had two more children, Karen and Bill.

Rose Mary was one of the longest living persons with Type 1  insulin-dependent diabetes (47 years). She tried valiantly to fight the ravages  of this disease and reared her three children with fierce determination. Her  children learned from early ages how to treat her episodes of insulin shock and  unconsciousness. Her husband traveled for a living and was often gone for long  periods.

Rose Mary was adept at a multitude of disciplines, but her primary  interest was as a homemaker. She will be sorely missed.

Rose Mary is survived by her loving husband of 53 years; three  children, Steve, Karen and Bill; eight grandchildren in Colorado; and her  sister, Pat of Lawrence.

So long for now. We’ll see you in the bye and bye…

A graveside committal service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 7,  2013, at Grace Hill Mennonite Cemetery in rural Newton. A service of celebration  and remembrance will continue at 2:30 p.m. at Grace Hill Mennonite Church, with  Pastor Peter Goerzen presiding. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday,  July 6, 2013, at Petersen Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from  4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Read more: http://www.thekansan.com/article/20130705/NEWS/130709674/1031/OBITUARIES#ixzz2YHmspDhx