Rosemary Samsel Baring

Rosemary Baring had the ability to brighten a room with her smile. Even in her final days her sense of humor, playfulness, and warmth shone through. Rosemary entered the world on May 22, 1922 in Evanston, IL and passed from it on August 8, 2016 in Wheat Ridge, CO, at age 94. She was a beloved member of a family that was always close, and made closer by her own design.

Rosemary grew up in Evanston, IL as the middle child of three. She sailed on Lake Michigan as a Girl Scout Mariner, played the violin in the Evanston Township High School orchestra and found she had a love of writing. In the high school orchestra there was a handsome clarinet player named Jack Baring, but their true connection was made while commuting on a street car to downtown Chicago where both were working summer jobs during college. Jack pretended to be asleep one evening to see if she cared enough to wake him when they came to their stop, and of course she did. At the time Rose attended Texas Women’s College, and from there she wrote faithfully to Jack at M.I.T. and later to every Army post to which he was assigned during WWII. She received her Bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1944, and promptly began her career at Lockheed’s Dallas Modification Center. Rose was editor of the employee newsletter and once had the exciting research assignment of riding along on a test run of a P38 airplane. At the end of the war she returned home to Evanston because the Modification Center was closed. There she worked in Chicago and continued her correspondence with Jack, who was part of the occupation force in Japan. They married on February 1, 1947 after his return. Rosemary and Jack then moved to couples housing at M.I.T. where he finished his education while she worked for Raytheon in the Boston area. They then returned to Illinois and began their family, raising four children together.

A career opportunity for Jack brought the family to Golden, Colorado in 1960 where they settled in Applewood. Wanting them to know their extended family, Rosemary drove cross country to Tennessee with her four kids and a dog year after year. These summer reunions to see her parents, sister, brother and their families continue in a modified form to this day. Rosemary supplemented her homemaking role with neighborhood activities and made lifelong friendships in the area. Among other things she was a fabulous hostess, party planner, bowler and bridge player. She volunteered for the PTA, Scouts and countless other groups supporting her kids. After her youngest child was in junior high school she returned to her journalism career as a part time reporter for the Golden Daily Transcript and later handled public relations for Foothills Art Center. Rosemary was a long time member and officer of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter EP. Together Rosemary and Jack volunteered as probation officers and GED tutors. They shared their love of reading, theater, symphonies, opera, art and travel.

Rosemary is survived by daughter Marty and her husband Jim Kenyon of Reno, NV; daughter Linda Gutesha and her husband Mike of Arvada, CO; daughter Barbara and her husband Jeff Davis of Allenspark, CO; son Tom and his wife Sharon of Fairbanks, AK; grandchildren Lyssa Kenyon, John Kenyon, Michelle Payne, Nathan Baring and Katherine Baring; sister Elizabeth Woolbright of Lake Spivey, GA, five nephews and one niece. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Jack Baring, and her brother R. Warren Samsel of Pittsfield, MA. A memorial service will be held on Saturday August 27, 2016 at 9:30 am at the Olinger Crown Hill Pavilion, 7777 W. 29th Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. Donations may be made to the Foothills Art Center, 809 15th St. Golden, 80401.