Rosemary Persa

October 31, 1957 to November 16, 2013

Rosemary was born on October 31, 1957 in Charleston, South Carolina. Her parents, Bobbie Joe Lee and Julia Ann (Swanda) Lee welcomed her as their fourth child, joining brother James Michael and sisters Mariann and Teresa. As the child of a Navy sailor, Rosemary was swiftly indoctrinated into a family who moved with each assignment of her father. Her brother Robert Joseph joined the family in Key West Florida in 1959. Youngest sister Jacqueline came aboard in Groton, Connecticut in 1961. And last, but never least, youngest brother John Patrick was born in Oklahoma City in 1971.

Rosemary was proud of the fact that three siblings were born before her and three others came after her – she was truly the “middle child” of the family. Her early years involved lots of gymnastics – she loved doing cartwheels and back flips, handstands and walkovers. She enjoyed riding her bike and she loved school. She never did take to the swim lessons at the local YMCA, but enjoyed hanging around the pool in later life.

At an early age, Rosemary demonstrated her unique flair for style. Her Barbie dolls and baby dolls were the best dressed of anyone she knew. She made Barbie clothes (using safety pins and staples) that were uniquely hers. She practiced make-up and hair styling on her dolls – most times with great results. She loved babies and enjoyed taking care of the new siblings as they came along. In high school Home Education, she quickly took to sewing and cooking – two skills she loved and excelled at throughout her life.

Once the family moved to Oklahoma in 1963, Rosemary attended Our Lady of Victory Catholic School in Purcell, St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Norman, Moore Junior High School and Moore High School. She graduated from Moore High School in 1975 and began pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology at the University of Oklahoma.

Rosemary was one of those rare beings who possessed strong talents in both left and right brain functions. She always did well in school and her choice of Medical Technology in college was a perfect fit for her logical and scientific qualities. At the same time, however, Rosemary also exhibited her creative talents in sewing, cooking, and other crafts. Somehow she managed to excel at everything – even while working full-time while she was in school.

During most of her college years, Rosemary worked as a phlebotomist (sticker) at St. Anthony Hospital’s laboratory. It was there, in 1977, that she met the love of her life – Stephan Persa, Jr. Rosemary received her BS in Medical Technology in 1982. She and Steve were married on November 5, 1982. The years following their marriage were filled with trips – to Mexico, Hawaii (multiple trips), and Las Vegas. Rosemary loved her new life with her husband and her step-daughter Stephanie. She had a new style aficionado in Stephanie. Although the years were somewhat turbulent (as they are with any teenager), Rosemary thrived both professionally and personally.

Wherever she worked and whatever she did, she always had fun – and a sense of irony and the ludicrous. She gathered people around her like her own personal garden – and made each person feel special and part of her “in” crowd. Her “peeps,” were legion: Jan (Puppet) Hendrix, Terry (Jerry) Kramer, Susan (Barbie) Schene, Patty (PartyBarker) Barker, Jeanie Gardner, and so many others, and filled her life with love and laughter. To some, she was “Goddess” or “Princess”, to her children she was “Mom,” to her siblings she was “Rosie” – to all she was just plain hilarious. You couldn’t be around Rosemary for very long without hearing her laugh (or snort if you were really lucky). Almost every conversation included the proud mama and loving wife (or at least sarcastic references to her beloved Steve).

The pride of her life – her kids, began arriving in 1986 – with Emily on March 20, 1986, Laurel on September 5, 1989, and Julianne on March 14, 1991. There was no prouder mother than Rosemary. She showered her girls with love – often through the things she made them: dresses for Christmas, Halloween costumes, school play costumes, new swimsuits for the summer season, and dresses for special events. Rosemary also demonstrated her creative decorating skills on her home with Steve – their house is a statement of who Rosemary is – from wallpapered walls through picture selection and placement; from knickknacks to upholstered furniture – all through her hands and inventive brain.

Four-legged friends all had an advocate in Rosemary. She loved animals of all kinds – and shared her life with many of these friends who love unconditionally. Rosemary was an early advocate of diversity in all its forms. She believed diverse families, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances made for a better world – and her world was very diverse indeed.

Rosemary was always recognized for her professional knowledge and skills. She was both quick to learn and quick to share her learning. Rosemary was in the healthcare industry for almost 25 years. She demonstrated excellence in all she did – and drew others to share her enthusiasm, love for her profession, and commitment to helping others. When she started working at the Oklahoma Blood Institute in 1999, she knew that whatever she did served the population of the entire state – and that was one of her proudest achievements. Among her peers, she was an early candidate to obtain her SBB (Specialized Blood Bank) certification. She was a presenter at South Central Association of Blood Bank (SCABB) conferences and Invitational Conference of Investigative Immunohematologists (ICII). She was a faculty member for accredited Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Programs for 16 years. She acted as a mentor for several accredited SBB distance learning programs. Her multiple scientific abstracts were published on a regional and national level. She encouraged and enabled her staff and students to attend and be involved in workshops, annual meetings and audio conferences of South Central, AABB, and other CLS continuing educations opportunities at both the state and national levels.

Almost 10 years ago, Rosemary began her jewelry business called Trinkets. She loved attending Market in Dallas and she and her friends made multiple trips to find the best deals and get the jewelry components she needed. Many of us are proud to wear the jewelry she made – it expresses both her love for us and some of the creative soul she was.

In April 2008, Rosemary was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of ovarian cancer. As she did with everything in her life, Rosemary faced the diagnosis with determination and grace. Until her stroke in January of 2012, she continued to work full-time, to work her crafts, and take care of family. Throughout her life, holidays were especially important to Rosemary. Christmas at Rosemary and Steve’s house was a family event that included her children and husband, parents, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and neighbors and friends. It was a time for sharing and loving – and Rosemary made it an event for everyone with her cooking, decorating, gifts and crafts.

One of Rosemary’s dreams was to share her daughters’ weddings and the birth of grandchildren. She was fortunate enough to enjoy her only grandchild – Gabriel, son of Stephanie, her daughter and Jonathan, her son-in-law. She was also blessed to be able to help plan and participate in her daughter Emily’s wedding to new son-in-law Mike in April of 2012. It was a beautiful and memorable event. She was also able to enjoy the news that her daughter Laurel was accepted to the OU School of Medicine. She was so pleased and proud when her daughter Julianne began substitute teaching and decided to pursue a teaching degree.

Shortly after her ovarian cancer diagnosis, a group of her friends founded the non-profit Heels for Hope (HFH) Foundation in her honor. The HFH Foundation’s mission is to honor Rosemary by raising awareness about the risk factors and signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer and helping fund the research, treatment, and education necessary to defeat the disease. Since the foundation was established, donations to organziations such as the Stephenson Cancer Research Center have included infusion treatment rooms and conference rooms named in Rosemary’s honor.

After more than 12 phase one program cancer treatments and a debilitating stroke, Rosemary transitioned to her new life on November 16, 2013. Rosemary was an amazing person. Everyone who knew her feels the loss of her in our lives. However, we also know that she would want her life celebrated – with Rosemary the Goddess at the center of it all – where she belonged. We know that she’s still with us and always will be! She and her Daddy (who died at the age of 61 in 1990) are directing traffic from on high and making sure we do the right thing –with a just a hint of irony and sarcasm, and losts of laughter, style, compassion, and love for one another.

Rosemary leaves behind her husband Stephan Persa, Junior; her daughter Stephanie Jones, grandson Gabriel Jones and son-in-law Jonathan Jones; her daughter Emily Pierson and son-in-law Michael Pierson; her daughter Laurel Persa; her daughter Julianne Persa; her mother Julia Ann Lee; her brother James Michael Lee and brother-in-law Kenneth Layne Rainey; her sister Mariann Meeks and sister-in-law Laura Meeks, niece Anna Michelle Shaffner and husband Cary Shaffner, nephews Chad Meeks and Eric Meeks; sister Teresa Lee; brother Robert Joseph Lee and sister-in-law Pamela Lee, along with nephews Benjamin Joseph and Ethan Lee; sister Jacqueline Jones and brother-in-law Mark Jones with nephew Matthew Jones and nieces Jill and Katherine Jones; and brother John Patrick Lee and sister-in-law Amy Lee along with nieces Lauren Lee, Megan Petko, and Anwyn Flinchbaugh and nephew Jason Petko.

Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night

~~ Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.