Rosalind E. Engel

Rosalind Emma Engel of Des Moines, age 89, passed away on Monday, July 4th, 2016. Born on February 23, 1927 on a farm near Arlington, Iowa, Rosalind was the youngest of six children born to the late Herman and Johanna Kruempel.

Rosalind received a B.A. from Iowa Wesleyan College and an M.A. from the University of Iowa where she received the McClenahan award for the outstanding graduate student in education. She taught in elementary schools in Elgin, Winfield, Iowa City, Coralville and Ames. She joined the Iowa State University faculty in 1967 as a member of the Child Development Department and in 1971 was elected faculty member of the year in the College of Home Economics. She became an assistant professor in 1972, an associate professor in 1979, and a full professor in 1986. In 1988 Rosalind retired from ISU and was named a Professor Emeritus. Her main area of research was children’s literature and its effects on the intellectual and emotional growth of children. At her retirement the faculty of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences described her this way, “Inspiring, creative, highly esteemed educator and advisor. A respected scholar, compassionate and thoughtful, a dedicated, caring and loyal colleague,” and in her honor the Rosalind Engel and Alice Lillie Children’s Library was established by the Department of Child Development.

Her professional accomplishments were only surpassed by Rosalind’s love for her family. She married the love of her life, Dr. Ross Engel, in 1946. In a tribute to his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary Ross described Rosalind to his children as the “wind beneath his wings” attributing any and all of his success in life, personal and professional, to the heartfelt encouragement and support of his cherished wife. Their union produced four children, Vaughn (Grace) Engel of Harlingen, Texas, Rick (Cathy) Engel of West Des Moines, Debra Engel (Paul Stricklin) of San Francisco, CA, and Kevin (Laura) Engel of Newton. Rosalind is also survived by a sister, Katherine Ridenour of Bellevue, Nebraska, eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. Her descendants find comfort in their memories of their remarkable mother and grandmother who not only managed a career but somehow found the time to be supermom, making her children’s clothes, preparing the meals, creating the themed birthday cakes and costumes for special events and attending all the numerous events and activities of each and every one while documenting it all in annotated scrapbooks and photo albums. She was the hub to the family’s wheel keeping track of every birthday, graduation, trip and everything else family related and making sure that all were kept apprised.

Rosalind was also a story teller par excellence, a skill she shared widely much to her audiences’ delight, mesmerizing students, family, and even fellow residents of the retirement homes where Ross and Rosalind resided. In her final years she took up coloring and even with her arthritic hands she strove for perfection and, of course, generously shared her gifts with family and those at the skilled nursing facility where she and Ross resided.

For years her children and those who knew her have been in awe of all she gave, lovingly, freely and always with elegance and grace, a role model for all that was caring and just. The mystery is how she found the time to do it all. Some harbor the suspicion that Rosalind was also gifted the ability to operate without sleep to be able to accomplish all that she did.

A memorial service will be held 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 30, 2016 at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel. Visitation with Rosalind's family will follow the service at McLaren's. Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice. The family wishes to thank our mother’s friends and caretakers at Calvin Community.