Rose Marie Mulligan

Rose passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the age of 86 years. She will forever be Bert and Lena’s devoted daughter, George’s best friend and sister, Jeff (Kathy) and Susan’s cherished mother, and Kyle (Chelsey) and Caitlin’s devoted grandmother.

Rose Marie grew up on the family farm in Morrin, Alberta alongside her aunts and uncles, Dolly (Max) Cuncannon, Alf (Thelma) Parry, and Ossie (Cherry) Parry, and many close cousins, Roy (Louise), Alan (Diane), Gordon, Gerald (Elsie), Don (Doreen), Bill (Favi), Gail (Murray), and Marjorie (Bob). With typical courage and determination, she set out on her own at 18 to join the Royal Canadian Air Force and proudly became a leading Air Force Woman. This adventure took her to Hinton, Montreal, Yellowknife and Whitehorse. Whilst in the Air Force she met her late husband, Dave. They married and settled in Calgary. She had two children, Jeff and Susan, who she raised on her own. She fiercely loved and protected both of them until her last breath. When Jeff married the love of his life, Kathy, Rose gained another treasured daughter whose phone calls she looked forward to every day for over 40 years.

Rose worked almost her entire adult life for Remco Memorials in Calgary, Alberta, where Charlie MacLean taught her to always listen to and care about each individual’s wishes as they worked through their grief to memorialize the lives and cherished memories of loved ones. Her greatest joy came from knowing that she helped; that she made it easier for grieving families in the most difficult of circumstances. The day before she said goodbye to her own family, she reminded us how important it is to really listen to and respect everyone you meet in life.

Rose was an avid sports fan and shared her love of hockey, football, golf and baseball with her children and grandchildren. She cheered for her Flames during every game they played from the very first game they played at the Stampede Corral on October 9, 1980. She never missed a game. In the days before Rose passed she was bitterly disappointed that, despite searching through the T.V. channels at the hospital, she couldn’t find the Calgary Stampeders football game. As she neared her final hours and woke up from a nap to see a highlight of the game on the screen, she was pleased to see Calgary won and about the highlighted play commented, “That was a hell of a pass!”

She was very proud of her children but she absolutely lit up the room when she talked about or visited with her grandchildren, Kyle and Caitlin. She could not have loved them more. All she wished for was their happiness always.

Rose wanted to thank all the doctors and nurses, their assistants, therapists, patient aides and assistants, and cleaning staff for their care, support and kindness over the past three weeks as she showed us all, once again, what dignity and courage look like.

The family will spend some time together now remembering Rose but will invite close friends and family to share their memories and toast a life well lived when we can all be together again this fall.

Forever loved, forever remembered, forever missed.

Should friends and relatives be compelled to remember Rose with a donation, please consider Senior Citizen housing and Senior Activity Centers in her honour.