Earle Rosemary Kifer

May 9, 1931 – May 4, 2016

Earle Rosemary Kifer was an amazing woman. After she was born in 1931 with a crippling form of cerebral palsy, her doctors said she probably wouldn’t live beyond the age of seven. But, even though a wheel-chair-bound invalid for over 75 years, she confounded everyone by making it to just five days shy of her 85th birthday.

Along the way she outlived her parents, all four of her sisters and their husbands, a number of nieces and nephews and, oh by the way, most of her doctors. Further, she did not die of cerebral palsy, but of old age.

She was especially proud of her quarter-century’s service as a Memorial Hospital Auxiliary volunteer. Two days a week, she would travel by Amblicab to what is now Memorial Central, where she donated her time and labor filing doctors’ notes for the medical administration department. She also enthusiastically assisted with humanitarian causes, such as the Heart Fund. Her keepsakes include numerous awards and letters of appreciation from organizations involved with those causes.

Rosemary was predeceased by her parents, Earl Raymond and Amy Pearl Kifer, sisters Peggy Bennett (John), Evelyn Noe (Ellis), Kay Salyards (John, Robert Green), and Ila Spaulding (George), nieces Peggy Ann, Jackie and Barbara (Martin), and her nephews Richard Green and Michael Green.

She is survived by (among others) her nephews Earl Noe, Gerald Spaulding, Jon Spaulding and Bob Green, her grand nephews Scott Spaulding, Brian Spaulding and James Spaulding and her grand niece Joni Dee Welling and great-grand nieces Brianna Spaulding, Jessica Spaulding, Julia Spaulding, Taylor Welling, and Mackenzie Spaulding.

Rosemary’s memorial service will take place at 1030 A.M. Saturday May 14th at the Swan Law Funeral Directors chapel, 501 N. Cascade, preceded by a one-hour public visitation and viewing. Committal Service and Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Block 226, at approximately 12:15.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in the name of Earle Rosemary Kifer to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs, 1322 N. Academy Blvd, Ste 115, Colorado Springs, CO 80909-3314.