Rose A. Smullen, 81, of Coldwater, passed away Sunday, March 21, 2021 at Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 9, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. at the Occasions Hall, 430 W. Chicago St., Coldwater.
Arrangements are being cared for by Dutcher Funeral Home.
Rose was born June 27, 1939 in Spokane, WA to Luke and Edna (Perry) McKim. She grew up in Sequoia Park, CA with her foster parents Lloyd and Margaret Finch. She enjoyed dancing in a square dance group with her friends. She later moved to Simi Valley, CA where she worked at a ranch and learned to trick ride on horses. It was at this ranch that she met a ranch hand (Monty Laird) and had her son David Thrasher on December 20, 1961. She later met and married Vernon (Rusty) Thrasher, with Rusty she enjoyed visiting with family and friends, riding horse an going on trail rides, they later moved to Magnolia, TX.
Rose moved to Fairbanks, AK where her sister Shirley lived. Here she met and married Harold Smullen on June 14, 1980 where they had their daughter Kimberlee Woellert (Smullen) on January 22. 1981. They enjoyed going to the Moose Lodge with family and friends. After Harold’s retirement in September of 2001 they moved to Quincy, MI to be closer to Harold’s family and his hometown of Coldwater where he was born on August 18, 1930. Harold preceded her in death on November 9, 2019.
Rose was a dedicated wife, mother and homemaker. She had also worked in housekeeping while living in Alaska. Rose grew up as a foster child herself and in turn, fostered other children as well for several years. She was a loving foster parent and tried to give those kids a better life while living away from their families. Rose enjoyed reading while taking all the kids to the lake to swim in the summer and sledding in the winter. Rose was very crafty and loved painting ceramics, making quilts, afghans and Native American moccasins. She loved the outdoors and gardening and especially loved to read.
Rose is survived by her children David (Kimberly) Thrasher of Needville, TX, Kimberlee (Nicholas) Woellert of Fairbanks, AK, Donna Smullen of California, Lee Ray (Linda ) Thrasher of Needville, TX, her sisters Sallie (Don) Pope of Coldwater, Jeanette Kubasiak of Coldwater, her grandchildren Melissa Pellegrino, Jason Pellegrino, Breanna McCalla, Ashley (Troy) Hanath, Taylor Duncklee, Erin Duncklee, Dillen Woellert, Lisa Woellert, Leslie Fontenot, Lonnie Thrasher, Ronnie Thrasher, Michael Thrasher, Robert (Kim) Thrasher, and her many great, and great great grandchildren.
In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her son Jeff Smullen, and Michael Thrasher, her sisters Shirley Cook, Joann Herman, Eleanor Kaiser and Joyce Ernsberger.
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