Rhoda Rosen

Rhoda Ann Rosen, 89, of Berea, Ohio, passed away peacefully in the arms of her daughter on October 4, 2022, following a lengthy but brave battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Rhoda’s family is grateful for the warm and patient care provided by the staff and administration of Madison Heights at the Prado, the memory care facility in Macon, Georgia.

Rhoda was born on November 22, 1932, in Akron, Ohio, to Lipman and Katie Blecker. She graduated from Westside High School in 1950 and then attended Kent State University where she met her future husband, Dick Rosen for the second time—the first being years earlier at Jewish community activities. They were married in 1952 and had three children: David, Laura, and Adam. Later in life, Rhoda earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech, Communication, and Theatre from Baldwin Wallace College—qualifying for 90 “Lifetime Learning” credit hours; more than any student in history.

Rhoda began acting as a teenager at Akron’s Coach House Theatre. By the 1970s, she was a well-known actress throughout the Cleveland area, appearing in numerous productions at Berea Summer Theatre (now the Kleist Center for Art & Drama), the Cleveland Playhouse, Beck Center for the Arts, Dobama Theatre and Cleveland Public Theatre, receiving critical acclaim and numerous awards for her performances. Rhoda’s commercial work can still be found on greeting cards in stores throughout the country. Rhoda also directed dozens of productions for Beth Israel—The West Temple.

Rhoda began teaching at Beth Israel’s religious school in 1966, and in 1969 became the school administrator, where she also mentored countless students as they prepared for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. She worked as an Instructional Aide in a team-teaching environment at Vivian L. Smith Elementary School in Berea and later as a Classified Librarian at Big Creek Elementary School in Middleburg Heights—spending 25 years as an educator, sharing her love of reading with students throughout the school system. In 2012 she was inducted in Berea Schools’ Hall of Fame and in 2005 was honored by Baldwin Wallace College with the prestigious Outstanding Educator Award. Even after “retirement,” Rhoda continued working with students for many years as host of the school district’s “Community of Learning” television program, beginning in 2001.

Dick and Rhoda were married for 57 years until Dick’s death in 2009. Rhoda is survived by her three children: David Rosen of Rio Nido, California, Laura Hogue (Franklin) of Macon, Georgia, and Adam Rosen (Jennifer) of San Anselmo, California; sister-in-law Judy Rosen of San Diego, California; Grandchildren Willow, Alana, and Dean Rosen of St. Louis, Missouri; Timothy Zoltak (Darlyne) of Pensacola, Florida, Alex Zoltak of Warner Robins, Georgia; and Abigail and Alyse Rosen of San Anselmo, California. Rhoda is also survived by five great-grandchildren: Haley, Gabrielle, Kate, Rhylee, and Zachary Zoltak.

The memorial service will be held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at 1:00 pm, at Beth Israel—The West Temple: 14308 Triskett Road, Cleveland, Ohio, followed by burial at Ridge Road Cemetery #2: 3824 Ridge Road, Brooklyn, Ohio. Shiva will follow the burial from 4-7 pm at the home of Travis and Ross Dwyer-Gutman: 396 Crossbrook Drive in Berea (the old family home).

Donations can be made to The Dottie Bowers & Rhoda Rosen Library Grant [EducationFoundationBerea.org/library.html] or Beth Israel—The West Temple [TheWestTemple.com/donations/donation-form].