Rosemary A. Lewis

A grand lady of 103 years has passed on to the Lord, having lived a Christian life on earth to its very fullest.

Rosie and her late husband of 50 years, Wayne, arrived in Columbus from Portsmouth, Ohio in the early 1940s to attend The Ohio State University. Their early Buckeye academic careers were cut short by World War Two and the two married at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma on March 25, 1943. Following Wayne's military service as an Army field artillery officer, they returned to Columbus where, after a successful sales career with the Ohio State Life Insurance Company, Wayne founded First Ohio Planning, LLC and became one of Ohio's earliest professional financial planners.

Rosie dedicated her life to family and community service. Among her most lasting contributions was her early leadership in the Buckeye Ranch Service Board whose mission was to promote causes that strengthened the youth of central Ohio. In 1961, she and other dedicated women opened what was then called The Buckeye Boys Ranch, known today as The Buckeye Ranch. Originally a treatment center for just ten young men, The Buckeye Ranch now serves thousands of youths, helping them to achieve success within their families, schools and communities.

Rosie also was an early supporter of the Childhood League Center and chaired the Young People's Concert of the Symphony Club of Central Ohio.

Rosie and Wayne led an amazingly fun and exciting life. They traveled the whole world together and played many of its finest golf courses. Rosie was a remarkable golfer and claimed a career record of two and a half holes-in-one, after correctly aligning a dear friend with poor eyesight on the tee of the seventh hole of Pelican Bay Golf Course in Naples, Florida. She also enjoyed playing the beautiful links at Scioto Country Club, where she became its oldest member. Rosie also played a key role in the Babe Zaharias Classic golf tournament.

Ohio State football never had a more loyal and passionate fan in the 'Shoe than Rosie. She rarely missed a game (including 41 against that team up north) and dearly loved The Best Damned Band in the Land and all the university's grand traditions, including especially its beautiful alma mater, Carmen Ohio.

Rosie was a proud descendant of the patriot Adams family and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She also had great grandfathers who honorably served our country in the French and Indian War, War of 1812, and American Civil War for the Union cause.

Rosie's survivors include her son James (Barbara) and grandsons Marc (Angela) and Michael, and daughter Linda Cramer (Richard) and grandsons Robert and Richard, and eight great-grandchildren.

A private family viewing will be held at SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST followed by a family gravesite burial. There will be no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, Rosie requested that tax deductible charitable donations be made in her memory to one or both organizations, which she dearly valued: The Buckeye Ranch Foundation, 4653 East Main St., Whitehall, OH 43213 and First Community Village Foundation, 1800 Riverside Dr, Columbus, OH 43212.