Rosemary R. Nothem, age 88, of Port Washington, Wisconsin peacefully passed away Friday, January 20, 2023 at her residence.
She was born in Milwaukee, WI on January 16, 1935, daughter of Frederick and Cecelia Fessler Resch.
After graduating from Messmer High School, Rosemary moved with her parents to Saukville.
On January 8, 1955, Rosemary married Arnold Joseph Nothem of Lake Church in Port Washington. Throughout their married life, many anniversaries were celebrated while living on North Milwaukee Street in Port Washington.
In 1980, their 25th anniversary was celebrated at the St. Alphonsus Hospital Chapel in Port Washington with a Mass for family and friends and a reception at the Belgium Community Center. In 2005 for their 50th, a Mass was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church with a limo to a surprise dinner and reception. Their children and grandchildren continued their support by surprising Arnold and Rosemary with a dinner for their 65th in 2020. They recently celebrated their 68th anniversary this past January just before Rosemary passed away.
Living nearly all of her married life on Milwaukee Street in Port Washington, Rosemary was very active within her community through her family and work. For a few years after having their 5th child, she worked part-time for 2 different realtors. They enrolled their ‘surprise’ 6th child in St. Mary’s Catholic School in 1978 where Rosemary volunteered as a school librarian for several years. She then began her new career working as an Office Assistant for Dr. Thomas Freed, OOD in Grafton, WI from 1981 until she retired.
Rosemary had been an active parishioner of St. John XIII (first attended St. Mary’s and then St. Peter’s) and was a devout Catholic. For over 50 years she was an active member of Christian Women, originally called Christian Mothers when she first joined.
Rosemary also was a member of Port Washington Women’s Club for decades.
She always had a long prayer list and prayed daily. She worried about everyone else and always placed the needs of others before her own. She loved to have fun and enjoyed a good game of Sheepshead and 500 Rummy. She loved going “Up North”, fishing, and floating in an innertube on the water, especially the Mississippi River.
Family time was very important to her. Rosemary loved to babysit and be active with her grandchildren which included reading to them, playing “pretend”, acting out favorite kids’ movie scenes, and splashing around in the kiddie pool they’d set up in their backyard. Her favorite meals included venison steak, brats made on the grill by Arnie, chop suey, and all seafood. She had infinite patience and understanding. Rosemary will be remembered as a living saint to her family. To know her truly was to love her. She will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her husband Arnold Nothem of Port Washington, her daughter Renee (Nothem) and Salvatore Mirto of Omro, WI, sons Paul and Janet (Lisowicz) Nothem of Franklin, WI; John Nothem of Rhinelander, WI; Dale and Shari (Wauer) Nothem of Dundee, WI; Scott and Jill (Prom) Nothem of West Bend, WI; and her daughter Susan (Nothem) and Bryan Deal of Port Washington, WI. She is further survived by her grandchildren Nichole Schulze, Robin Schulze (Nicholas Becks), Andrew (Katherine) Nothem, Meghan Nothem, Aimee Coronado, Jonathan Nothem (Michelle Ehrlich), Justin Nothem, Samantha (Steven) Langjahr, Whitney Nothem, Isaac Nothem, Thane (Heather) Nothem, Tyler (Jeanette) Nothem, Kara Nothem, Xavier Deal, and Hudson Deal; 9 great-grandchildren; her brother Ronald and Ceil Resch; her brother-in-Law Harold and Arlene Nothem; many, many nieces and nephews, cousins, and grand nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
Rosemary is preceded in death by her parents Frederick and Cecelia (Fessler) Resch, her In-Laws Matthias and Clara (Bode) Nothem, amongst other extended family members.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12 Noon, Saturday, February 25, 2023 at St. John XXIII Parish – St. Peter of Alcantara Church 1802 N. Wisconsin Street, Port Washington, WI. Reverend Patrick Wendt will be the celebrant. Visitation will take place from 10-11:45AM Saturday AT CHURCH prior to Mass.
Final interment will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lake Church, town of Belgium, WI.
Memorials to the charity of choice appreciated.
Rinald and John,
Though I was never lucky enough to meet your Wife/Mom, from the stories shared, I new she was a lovely person, a beautiful angel to many, and a sweet soul. May you both walk forward in your days ahead knowing she is at your side and deep in your heart forever. So very sorry….
What a beautifully written tribute to such a kind soul. We lived across the alley from Rosemary and Arnie and loved to visit and talk with them when they were on the porch. We loved to trade some of their garden vegetables with baked goods and venison. We think of them often and we are sad to hear this news. We will lift Arnie and her family up in prayer.
To the Nothems, your mother, grandmother, etc. was the only sibling I hsd and we were very close throughout our lives./ I will miss Rosemary and will always have her in my prayers and in my heart. God Bless you Sis.
Ronald Resch Brother & best friend
Arnie & the Entire Nothem Family:
Recalling many things in the relationship between our respective Fessler Family / cousin ties, including but not limited to:
– Aunt Cecelia Resch & my Mother, Helen Miller, were close sisters; the former often a harmless trickster, & the latter often too serious – often relishing those natures in one another
– Uncle Fred Resch was a perfect match for Aunt Cecilia; a union which produced two beautiful persons: Rosemary & Ronald; among my very favorite cousins, as well as Aunt / Uncle (also noting that our parents are interred side by side in Resurrection Cemetery, Mequon)
– As the youngest (1946) cousin, was fortunate in 1967 to first relate as adults as we all rode to Cleveland, Ohio wherein I was one of Ronald’s groomsmen
– Fondly recalling the memory of our last visit in April 2010 at the Fessler Family Reunion
May Rosemary Rest in Eternal Peace! Amen!
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Arnie and family you have my sympathy. In 1981 I hired Rosemary as an employee in my office and I had the pleasure of working with her for the next 18 years! She was a most kind, caring and dedicated employee and, more importantly, she was a wonderful wife and mother. She will be missed by many friends and family.
My sympathies to the family. My husband, Wayne, lived with her parents for a short time and loved the family.
Sue and family, I am so sorry to learn of your mother’s passing. She was such a sweet person. We kept in contact on Facebook from time to time. Hugs and prayers.