Rosemary Phillips

Rosemary Phillips passed away July 29, 2025 at the grand age of 101 years old. Born into a large family in Ashland, Kentucky on September 16, 1923, Rosemary was surrounded by many aunts, uncles and cousins, where she learned her super power of kindness, compassion, empathy and inner strength that defined her life and all she did. As a young girl, Rosemary’s immediate family, brother Jack and parents Inez and Arthur Davis, moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Sister Lois came along when Rosemary was ten years old. Times were tough during Rosemary’s childhood, as they were for many during the Great Depression, and the family moved often, which resulted in her attending several different schools. This was difficult for a shy girl. After graduation from high school Rosemary worked in her uncle’s office as a secretary. But her life would change when she learned of the Cadet Nurse Corps, which was a government program authorized by Congress in 1943 to alleviate the nursing shortage that existed during World War II, when many nurses had been sent overseas. Rosemary had always wanted to be a nurse but the cost of the nursing school was beyond her reach. After returning to high school for additional chemistry classes, Rosemary was accepted in 1944 to Bethesda Hospital School of Nursing in Cincinnati for the 30-month course. All tuition, housing and books were funded for this government program. After graduating nursing school and becoming an RN, Rosemary became a public health nurse and proudly carried her black bag to homes in the surrounding rural area. Her love and kindness allowed her to help those in need in their homes.

In 1947 Rosemary followed her family who had moved to Columbus, Ohio, where she worked in a hospital during the busy time following WWII. She would meet her husband, Bill Phillips, in the church choir in November 1948. Bill, a WWII veteran, was finishing up a graduate degree at Ohio State University. After marrying in September 1949, the couple moved up to Cleveland, Ohio area, where Bill had been raised. Rosemary worked as a public health nurse in Cleveland and eventually in doctor’s offices. In 1953 the couple was blessed with their first daughter, Cathy, and then Rosemary put her nursing career on hold to raise five very active children. The family settled in Shaker Heights, OH. Rosemary had a welcoming home for all the kids in the neighborhood. She also ventured into new territories during this time by learning to play tennis, in which she excelled, and was competitive with family and friends. She learned how to ice skate and learned how to curl, being on winning teams in local Bonspiels.

When all of Rosemary’s children were of school age, she felt compelled to return to work part time, and eventually full-time. Rosemary’s career flourished and over the years she worked as a surgery nurse, recovery room nurse, and intensive care nurse. She became the director of a home health care agency, traveling to assess the needs of patients just as she had done as a public health nurse when she was fresh out of nursing school. Her love of her patients, her kind and gentle ways, allowed others to trust her.

At age 62, Rosemary retired and became a busy traveler with her husband, her sister Lois and her best friend Ginger. Rosemary was the kind of mom who was always available to her children for the tough times in their lives. She was full of adventure, had a great sense of humor and was an incredible listener. Rosemary was a dog lover and had many dogs for over fifty years. She rescued dogs found in the neighborhood, cleaned them up and changed them to beautiful, devoted pets. In 1995 after celebrating 46 years of marriage, Bill passed away suddenly. Rosemary then moved to Colorado to live with her sister Lois and set off on new life adventures, meeting new friends and exploring new homes. In her later years, Rosemary lived by each of her three daughters in many different cities, including Denver, Miami and Nashville. She lived for the last six years by her daughter, Cindy, in Santa Barbara, CA. Rosemary never met a stranger. All those who were lucky to know Rosemary knew of her kindness. Her warm sweet smile could light up a room and made all feel welcome and accepted.

Rosemary is survived by her sister Lois Denny, her three daughters, Cathy Brown (Douglas), Cindy Billings (Doug), Carrie (Roy Dimoff) and her son Donald. Rosemary’s husband, Bill, predeceased her as did her loving son David Phillips. She is survived by six grandchildren: Christine Brown, Nathan Brown (Alex Ray Corriea), Jonathan Phillips, Felenka Phillips (Wes Robertson), Benjamin Phillips and Natalie Billings (Render Vignos).

In lieu of flowers please send donations to MaxFund Animal Adoption Center; 958 Inca Street, Denver, CO 80204, https://maxfund.org.

A Funeral Service celebrating the life of Rosemary Phillips will be held in the Myers Memorial Chapel of The Church of the Saviour, 2537 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, Saturday, at 10am August 9th, 2025.

Friends may call at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts., OH 44120 Friday, August 8th from 5-7pm.