July 10, 1918 – October 26, 2016
Aunty Marie passed away peacefully at Pine Grove Care Centre, Kamloops at the age of 98. Born in Marysburg, Sask., she was the 4th of 14 children born to Frank and Barbara Rositch. She was raised on the farm, attended school to grade 8, worked at home and homes of others in the area before venturing out to Kamloops in the late ‘30s. She worked in retail and in Vancouver prior to obtaining her Practical Nursing Diploma through the Vancouver Vocational Institute in 1956. She spent a number of years working in hospitals in the Lower Mainland and coastal areas of BC before moving to Orange, California where she worked for many years at Children’s Hospital. Her skilled caregiving and love for her young patients was much appreciated by their families. After retiring, Marie relocated to the Wenatchee, Wash. area, then back to Kamloops, on to Penticton for awhile, and finally settled in Kamloops remaining here until her passing.
A fiercely independent woman, she mastered the public transportation system wherever she lived, never owned a vehicle or had a driver’s license, walked when buses weren’t available and managed to get wherever she wanted to go. She was a skilled seamstress, loved swimming, travelling and exploring, especially in California, and enjoyed her trips to Hawaii immensely. Many of us recall trips to visit Aunty Marie in Orange and the great adventures going with her to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, the desert and so many interesting places thereabouts.
Marie changed her surname from Rositch to Ross in 1958. She never married and had no children, but she had her very large extended family, and was always part of family events and occasions until it became physically impossible for her to participate anymore. Much as she did not want to be the last of her siblings to pass, she outlived them all by more than 10 years. She accepted this in her quiet way, but we know how much she missed them all. Therefore, we joyously celebrate her passing in the sure knowledge she is where she longed to be – in heaven with all those who were waiting for her with open arms.
She is predeceased by her parents, Frank and Barbara, and her brothers and sisters: Frank, Mike, Ernie (Norma), Fred (Hedy), Cee (Bert Gieselman), Tony, Laura, Jerry, Martha, Delores (Richard Petersen), George (Rose), Grace, and Elaine (Terry McDonnell), as well as 6 nephews, 1 niece and 2 great-nephews.
She is survived by her sister-in-law Eileen (Tony Rositch d.), her cousin Caroline Haight, and many nieces and nephews, to the 3rd and 4th generations. We will miss her, none more so than her niece Regena Cameron.
The Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 6 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 635 Tranquille Road, Kamloops, and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 7 at the Church, Fr. Paul Simms officiating. Interment will be at the Hillside Cemetery.
We extend our sincere thank you to all the wonderful staff at Pine Grove – you are loving, caring angels and Aunty Marie was so blessed and grateful for your kindness to her during these past 15 months. We also thank all the staff of Chartwell (Renaissance) where Marie lived for 9 years before Pine Grove. You, too, showed her such love and she had a good life there. A very special thank you to Dr. Mavis Hollman for all you did for and on behalf of Aunty Marie. We consider you to be one of our family.
Donations can be made in Aunty Marie’s name to Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, St. Ann’s Academy or The Canadian Diabetes Association. Flowers gratefully declined.
Condolences may be expressed at www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

• Date : 2016-10-26
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.