Rosemary Thombleson

Rosemary Thombleson, also know as Rosie or Rose, went home to be with the Lord on February 13, 2020, surrounded by her loving children at the age 91. Rosemary was born in Bicknell, Indiana to the late Guy Erastus and Emma May (Hisgen) Ballow on August 28, 1928.

She graduated from Bicknell High School in 1946, attended and graduated from Vincennes University, Vincennes Indiana with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through the Good Samaritan Hospital in 1949. She married her high school sweetheart, John Elbert Thombleson, on August 14, 1949. They moved to Tallahassee, Florida for her husband to attend FSU. After John graduated from FSU in 1955, they moved to Jacksonville where she continued her nursing career as a public health nurse. Her district was Downtown and Northside areas. Through her nursing career she worked with many county facilities, St. Vincent’s Hospital and in 1985 retired from nursing as a CCU Charge Nurse at Memorial Hospital. She loved being a nurse and caring for people, especially her public health nursing days.

Rosemary and her husband, John, moved to the mountains of West Virginia after retiring. She loved her mountain home and that small mountain community. Rosemary was very artistic in various mediums, such as pottery, painting, and basket weaving. She loved God’s beautiful nature of outdoors in all its splendor. Her mom taught her to garden and Rosemary enjoyed gardening along with canning the fruits of her labor. In addition to her artistic side she was blessed was a nature talent of a beautiful voice and started singing publicly at the age of three. She sang on the radio back in the day and through her whole life singing at her churches. We know that she is singing his praises face to face now.

Rosemary was the youngest of three children and is preceded in death by her father, Guy Erastus Ballow, her mother, Emma May (Hisgen) Ballow, her sisters, Helen Louise Coglan and Marjorie Maxine Powell McArthur, and her oldest son, John (Johnny) Elbert Thombleson II. She is survived by her loving husband of 70 years, John Elbert Thombleson, her son Jay Edward Thombleson, her daughter, Jennifer Ellen (Thombleson) Reid. Her grandchildren: Kalie Danielle Reid, Rachel Malia (Thombleson) Stegman (husband Drew), Leah Kehaulani (Thombleson) DeMoulin (husband Brad), and great granddaughter Victoria Rose Stegman.

Rosemary lived her life in service to others and loved the Lord, her family, her friends, and her church so deeply. She will be deeply missed by all. She leaves behind a great legacy of service and love to so many and used her field as her mission ground to honor the Lord. Glory to God in the Highest.

We will have a visitation on 2/23 Sunday evening from 5-7 at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home (7242 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32205). Flowers may be sent to the Funeral Home at that address.

The funeral service will be at our church - Crossroad Church UMC (10005 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32246) on Monday 2/24 from 3-5 with a reception to follow. Hardage-Giddens Riverside is serving the family.