Rosemary J. Schwab

Rosemary Schwab, 90, of Devils Lake, formerly of rural Crary, ND, passed away on April 4, 2020, at Eventide, Devils Lake.

Rosemary Jean Tobin was born on November 18, 1929, on her family’s farm near Leeds, ND. She was the youngest child born to Joseph and Verna Mae “Mayme” Tobin.  She attended Irvine Consolidated School but graduated from Langdon High School where she attended her senior year.  Rosemary moved there to be with her sister, Virginia, then a first-year school teacher.

Rosemary continued her education at the Lake Region Junior College, earned a two-year Secretarial degree, and began her career at Powell-Kunkel Insurance.

On June 3, 1952, Rosemary married Leonard Peter Schwab at St. Joseph Church; they were married for 63 years. Rosemary and Leonard resided and started their family in Crary and later moved to a nearby farm.  She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Crary, St. Joseph’s in Devils Lake, and a lifelong member of the Christian Mothers.

Family was always Rosemary’s first priority. When her children were young, she put her career on hold to be a devoted stay-at-home mom.  She would later return to the insurance profession as a secretary for American Family Insurance, but when grandchildren entered the picture, they became her life. 

Rosemary was an animal lover and an avid outdoorswoman. She raised Paint horses, rode in parades, and always had at least one faithful dog at her side.  She spent many days camping at their lake lot on Creel Bay, fishing from her paddle boat and cleaning fish long after dark.  Rosemary also enjoyed family reunions, traveling, flower gardening, snowshoeing, bird watching, long nature walks – essentially anything that would take her outdoors.  Rosemary very much enjoyed music, dancing and singing.  She was a member of the church choir and Sweet Adelines for many years.

Rosemary is survived by her children Rick (Susan) Schwab, Devils Lake, Susan Schwab-Kjelland, Devils Lake, and Tim (Lynette) Schwab of Fort Myers, FL; grandchildren Cole Schwab, Devils Lake, Alex Schwab, Minot, ND, Leonard Kjelland, Grand Forks, ND, Benjamin Kjelland, Valley City, ND, Katelyn Kjelland, Dover, DE, Ryan Schwab and Trevor Schwab, both of Fort Myers, FL; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Raymond and Kitty Schwab, Claude Schwab, Valorie Schwab,  and Sandee Schwab; many nieces, nephews and their families.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; her parents; sisters Marjorie Tobin, Dorothy Deplazes and Virginia Tobin; brothers Martin, Milton and Vernon Tobin.

A private Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake with Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass with burial in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

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