Rosa Lee (Hirt) Whitmer (1938-2021)
Rosa Lee (Hirt) Whitmer passed away Saturday, July 3, 2021, at the Hospice House in Hutchinson, Kan. at the age of 82. She was born to Bethold Joseph and Evelyn Rosalyn (Bouska) Hirt Oct. 31, 1938, in Ellsworth, Kan.
Rosa Lee lived a life full of love, faith, and music. She grew up attending Dorrance High School and graduated in 1956. After high school, she moved to Wichita for a year and then moved to Hays where she met the love of her life, Richard. They were married in 1958 in Stockton, Kan. and were blessed with five children: Michael, Mark, Richard Dean, Denise, and Dennis. While in Hays, she attended Fort Hays State University where she obtained her Master’s Degree in Education.
Rosa Lee loved kids and music and was able to spend an impressive 35 years as a kindergarten and music teacher. She taught at Studley for eight years, then she taught at her own home in Hoxie until she moved to Dorrance where she continued teaching, and later, Wilson. She was surrounded by nature her entire life as she grew up and continued to live on a farm throughout her life. She loved to help her husband with farming and harvest by bringing out the most perfect sandwiches for the crew and occasionally driving truck when needed.
Rosa Lee loved to collect cookbooks and recipes from anywhere she could find them. She could be found in her kitchen window waving at those who were leaving her house, always with a beautiful smile. Rosa Lee was a family-oriented woman. She would always send birthday cards and a book with a thoughtful note to each of her grandchildren. She loved to study her family’s genealogy to learn more about her past and was eager to mark down the future of her family as well.
Rosa Lee was a very faith-centered woman. She sang, played the organ, and lead the choir at her home parish. She was a member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, St. Joseph’s Altar Society and Bunker Hill Lions Club. She truly believed in the power of prayer and forgiveness which was shown by her love and compassion for others. She was kind, gentle, patient, and quick to forgive. A true teacher at heart, she not only taught children in school, but also loved to educate those around her about Christ and His love for each of us. Her legacy of love, care, and devotion will remain with us forever.
She is survived by her husband Richard Whitmer of Wilson; children, Michael (Shelly) Whitmer of Dorrance, Mark Whitmer of Dorrance, the late Richard Dean (Jennifer) Whitmer of Hays, Denise (Ronald) Rounkles of Overland Park, Kan., and Dennis (Christa) Whitmer of Urbandale, Iowa; brother, the late Bethold “B.J.” (Doni) Hirt who lived at Lincoln, Neb.; 19 grandchildren, John (Jennifer) Whitmer, Benjamin (Toni) Whitmer, Robert (Shana) Whitmer, Rachael Whitmer, Stephanie Whitmer, Brian (Krista) Whitmer, Ryan (Morgan) Rounkles, Rebecca (Scott) Summers, Nicholette (Caleb) Whitmer, Joshua (Jordyn) Rounkles, Mikayla Whitmer, Samantha (Chase) Meitler, Kylan (Alexa) Whitmer, Joseph Whitmer, Kevin Rounkles, Kenny (Hailey) Rounkles, Cordel Whitmer, Alex (Sarah) Whitmer, and Richard Whitmer Jr; and 20 great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Bethold Joseph and Evelyn Rosalyn Hirt; her father and mother-in-law, Robert Lee and Cora Rachael Whitmer; her son Richard Dean Whitmer; and her brother Bethold “B.J.” Hirt.
Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m. today (Thursday) at the funeral home in Wilson with a Vigil Service and Rosary beginning at 7 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 9, at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dorrance.
Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Dorrance, Kan. or Wilson Senior Center, Wilson, Kan. and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, PO Box 533, Wilson, Kan. 67490.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.plumeroverlease.com