Rose Mary Becker, 91, died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Nampa, ID, at a care facility where she had resided for the past year. Rose Mary was born May 10, 1923, in Loma, CO, to Barbara (Kroskob) and George Neiwerth. Her family moved to Idaho in 1927 and farmed in the Sugar City and Acequia areas. She attended Minidoka County public schools.
She married August Ruff on July 20, 1941, in Paul, ID, and on Christmas Day 1943 their daughter, Lenora, was born. August died in December 1945.
Rose Mary attended beauty school and briefly had her own shop in Rupert. She struggled as a young widow until she met Gustave Becker. They married Dec. 13, 1952, in American Falls and together raised five daughters. Rose Mary was a busy homemaker and an accomplished seamstress. She loved crocheting and made countless afghans and doilies. She loved music and encouraged all her daughters to play the piano, as she had always wanted to learn.
Outside the home she worked as a substitute cook at the American Falls school lunch program. She occasionally worked on potato harvest and assisted with Election Day. She later cooked and drove bus for the Power County Senior Center.
She and her family were active members of the United Church of Christ-Congregational in American Falls.
In 1989, she moved with Gus and daughter Miriam to Rupert, ID, where she assisted her elderly mother and ailing sister. Gus passed away August 26, 1993, in Rupert.
Rose Mary was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the late 1990s. She and Miriam moved to Nampa in 2005 to be closer to daughters Karmen and Susan. Four years later she moved to an assisted living facility in Boise, where she received daily visits from her daughters. She remained there until she suffered a hip fracture in September 2013. After hip replacement surgery she was primarily wheelchair bound and moved to a skilled nursing facility where she resided at the time of her death.
Rose Mary is survived by five daughters: Lenora (Jon) Braithwaite, Clearfield, UT, LaDawn Becker, Phoenix, AZ, Karmen (Craig) Rowe, Nampa, ID, Miriam Becker, Nampa, ID, Susan (Harry) Dennis, Waldport, OR; brother George Neiwerth Jr. and sisters Elsie Bartley and Linda Richan, all of the Rupert-Burley area; eight grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by four siblings: Herbert, Irene, and Daniel Neiwerth and Lucille Wakewood.
The family wishes to thank the many kind and loving caregivers who assisted Rose Mary and her family during the past five years.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Hansen Mortuary, 710 Sixth St. South in Rupert with interment to follow at the Rupert Cemetery. A viewing will be held at the mortuary from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, prior to the services. Arrangements are being provided by Zeyer Funeral Chapel, Nampa, 467-7300. Condolences may be expressed at zeyerfuneralchapel.com.
Thanks for reading! Read more in this week's print edition.Subscribe Today! |