Rosemary Brandvold

Age 99

Died July 9, 2023. She was born in Kellogg, Idaho, January 2, 1924. Her parents were Arthur William "Billy" Blackwell, and Mary Caroline (nee Brown) Blackwell. She was a very intelligent, loving, strong-willed, independent person all her life. Her dad taught her to read at an early age. She started First Grade on her birthday in January, and completed the year's work by June, so went into Second grade in the Fall. Rosemary loved school, worked hard, and was proud of her accomplishments. Her mother, who played piano and organ for church, taught Rosemary to play the piano. One fond memory she liked to relate, took place in their Kellogg home. The bedrooms were upstairs, so their mom would play the piano at the foot of the stairs for her children, after they were in bed. As a young mother, she beautifully played the song Nola, for her own children.

When Rosemary was in high school, her family moved to Coeur d'Alene. At the time, she was very unhappy about leaving everyone she had known. But she enjoyed school, made new friends, and after graduation attended the University of Idaho, where she played violin and was an Alpha Phi. She graduated with a degree in Dietetics. She moved to the San Francisco, California area, where she completed a clinical internship at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley.

During that time, she and Richard John "Dick" Brandvold began dating. They had met in high school, and Dick was there in San Francisco to attend an accelerated Business School course for veterans after WWII. They married in the Summer of 1946. In 1947, their daughter, Judy was born. They loved the area and had made great friends, but their Coeur d'Alene families missed them, and begged them to move back to the Northwest. So, in 1949, the little family moved temporarily to an old air force barracks in Airway Heights, near Spokane, Washington while their home in Dishman, in the Spokane Valley, was being built by Dick's dad, Ingvold "Inky" Brandvold. After they moved into their new home, their son Chris was born, in the Fall of 1950.

In 1957, their daughter Kari was born. The Dishman home became too small, so the family moved to a home in Opportunity, which was designed by Rosemary's architect brother, Stuart, built by Dick's dad, and landscaped by her dad.

The family joined Millwood Presbyterian Church when they first moved to the Spokane area, and it became a large part of family life after that. They made many life-long friends and enjoyed volunteering and participating in many aspects of church life.

Rosemary loved being a mother and made raising their family her first priority. She was an excellent cook, and focused on serving well-balanced meals. Her dedication to healthy eating has inspired food awareness through the generations. She enjoyed sewing clothes for the family and kept everyone well-dressed on a budget. On the weekends, usually after church, the family drove to Coeur d'Alene, to allow the children to visit with their doting grandparents. Every year, the Brandvolds took a road trip, often to Canada, or California. They bought a boat when the children were older, and kept it on Coeur d'Alene Lake. Highlights of boating with Rosemary were the delicious lunches she made, which usually contained Banana bread with cheddar cheese, fruit, and other treats. When their children were grown, Rosemary and Dick took them on cruises. One of the most enduring gifts Rosemary gave her children was music lessons, on piano and another instrument. She made sure that they practiced, and chauffeured them to lessons, band rehearsals, and performances. The love of music she helped inspire has continued in the lives of her great-grandchildren, who all consider music to be a joyful part of their lives.

Rosemary loved her home, and used her creativity to make it beautiful. She seemed to inherit her love of flowers from her English dad. She could often be found working in the flowerbeds. She and Dick entertained friends and family on the patio that was lined with lovely pots filled with colorful flowers.

Rosemary had many friends over the years. She, and a group of friends from her younger years that she called "the girls club", met monthly for lunch to catch up on each other's lives. She always made friends with her neighbors. She and Dick entertained friends in their home, often playing cards. They also liked to travel with friends, or to visit friends, near and far. Extended family was important to her, too, and she enjoyed keeping in touch with cousins and their families.

By 1968, Rosemary felt her children were old enough to allow her to begin working part-time in her profession. So, she took a refresher course to update her dietetic credentials and began working as a Registered Dietitian at Spokane Valley General Hospital. She loved doing this, as she was able to talk with patients to plan appropriate meals that would fit both their medical needs and their food preferences. While working there, she added many of her co-workers to her long list of friends.

Over the years, her life was enriched with four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was very proud of their accomplishments, and loved them all dearly.

She took loving care of Dick over his last several years, as his health declined. Dick died in 2006, but Rosemary was able to live actively in her home for several more years.

She moved to Fairwinds in North Spokane in 2015 to be closer to her son, Chris and his wife, Jan. Jan helped Rosemary turn her apartment into a lovely home, and after Rosemary stopped driving, Jan took her to all her appointments. Rosemary stayed fairly healthy, made several friends there over the years, and appreciated the friendly staff. The years of COVID restrictions were hard on her, because it encouraged inactivity. During that time, in late 2020, her dear daughter, Kari, died suddenly, and Rosemary declined more rapidly after that.

Recently, Rosemary was moved to Hospice House, where she was comfortable, safe and well-cared for. She was happy to be there, and said she "hoped she was going to Heaven"! We are sure she made it.

Rosemary was predeceased by her parents, husband, daughter Kari Lynn Gossett, brother Stuart Brown Blackwell, sister-in-law Helen (nee Carlson) Blackwell, sister Norma Lou Brown, brother-in-law ErvIn L. Brown, sister-in-law, Shirley Brandvold, and her dear friend Jean Custer.

Rosemary is survived by daughter Judy (George) Wigen, Pennsylvania, son Chris Brandvold (Jan), Spokane, son-in-law Jay Gossett, Harrington, grandchildren Kyra (Dustin) Richardson, Spokane, Howard Wigen, Pennsylvania, Kirsten (Doug) Sabata, Spokane, Val (Greg) Brady, Pennsylvania, great-grandchildren Jacob Sabata, Elizabeth Sabata, Nakoa Richardson, Makaio Richardson, Eli Sabata, Keanu Richardson, Tillie Sabata, Spokane, Henley Brady, Jackson Brady, Pennsylvania. Also survived by nephews Jeremy Brown (Lisa Stephens), Calgary, AB, Eric (Donna) Brown, Spokane, and niece Heidi (Jeff) Rodgers, Idaho, as well as many other loving relatives.

Family suggests donations in Rosemary's name to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (Fred Hutch) or Millwood Community Presbyterian Church in Millwood, Washington.

Arrangements with Hazen & Jaeger -Valley Funeral Home.

Service TBA