Rose Marie Slattery

Rose Marie Slattery passed away quietly on February 21, 2023, in the presence of her loving family.

She is survived by: sons Michael Slattery and Peter Slattery; daughter, Mary Ann Krammen; sister, Jeanette Lindelof; granddaughters, Elizabeth Slattery, Kaylin Barnes, Caroline White and Abigail Cantalupo; grandsons, Christopher Krammen, Alex Cantalupo, Jacob Slattery and Adam Cantalupo; great granddaughters, Chloe McNally and Savannah Bishop; great grandson, Max Krammen; daughters in law, Mary Slattery and Lori Slattery; sons in law, Dan Krammen and Mark Cantalupo; and brother in law Charles Lindelof.

She is predeceased by her husband, James Slattery; daughter Donna Cantalupo; mother, Laura (Oenning) Gebhardt; father, Charles Gebhardt; brother, Charles Gebhardt; and aunt, Rose Oenning.

Born Rose Marie Gebhardt on January 26, 1930, Rose graduated from both Chicago Catholic Elementary and St. Scholastica High School.  A talented artist, she was accepted to study at the Chicago Art Institute.  She married James Slattery on November 11, 1950, and remained his devoted and loving wife until his death on January 12, 1991.  They enjoyed journeys to the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Canyon, Lake Chelan in Washington State and the Bahamas and would regale the family with stories of these happy times.  But their happiest times were those same family gatherings when they would share food, memories and their love. 

In addition to her art, Rose mastered sewing, quilting, gardening and baking.  Her family preserves her paintings and quilts as treasured and beautiful remembrances.  Photographs of her flowers, especially her prized lilies, adorn family albums.  Rose’s baking, learned at the hands of her mother Laura and her Aunt Rose, was a special treat for her family.  Sticky buns, raisin bread and a seemingly impossible variety of cookies were matched only by her homemade fudge sauce.

Rose loved to play with her grandchildren, creating the precious ‘happy memories’ she so cherished.  From racing and crashing cars on the floor to sewing a kid’s clubhouse, there were few things she would not attempt as long as it brought joy to the “little ones”.  She even finagled her husband and both sons to don a rich red - and very hot - Santa’s suit at Christmas.

Rose’s loving interest extended to dogs.  She was always quick with an amusing tale of her juvenile Irish Setter Jake or King, the family’s oversized black Labrador with the accidentally bobbed tail.  Training King brought Rose and Jim lifelong friends as well as an animated hobby.  Although there were other wonderful family dogs, King was always their favorite.  

Throughout their married life, Rose and Jim moved to various locations, following Jim’s work.  Wherever the family landed, Rose made it home.

Now Rose enters her new home, and those of us who knew and loved her wish her many blessings and God speed.  Services at this time are private.  Share a memory at www.feddehelfrichcrossfh.com