Rosemarie Helmecke Wolfe

Rosemarie Wolfe died peacefully in her home in Palm Beach, Florida, surrounded by her family on 6 March 2020. She was 94 years old. Rosemarie was born in the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald, Western Pomerania, Germany, on 27 September 1925, the second of four children of Dr. Kurt Helmecke and Johanna Schwartzkopf Zeyen. She grew up in Eastern Germany during the turbulent period of the Second World War. Rosemarie studied medicine at Prague University, and worked for Pan American Airlines where she met her future husband, Richard Shipley Wolfe. Rosemarie and Richard were married in Frankurt am Main in 1955, and moved the following year to the United States, to Maine. With her husband, Rosemarie raised two daughters, Karin and Jenny. Rosemarie enthusiastically adapted to her life on a saltwater farm in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, the setting of which reminded her of her native Baltic homeland, and she became an avid gardener, sailor, and even fished lobster. Rosemarie also enjoyed collecting and restoring American colonial furniture. After raising their family, Rosemarie and Richard travelled extensively internationally, serving the American International Executive Service Corps, founded in 1964 as a branch of USAID as volunteers. During their later years they split their time between their Maine and Florida homes. Rosemarie is predeceased by her husband of 45 years, Richard Wolfe; and by her two sisters, Barbara Helmecke Knof and Karin Helmecke. Rosemarie is survived by her younger brother Kurt Helmecke of Timmins Ontario Canada, her two daughters Dr. Karin Elizabeth Wolfe, Jeanette W. Knight of Loxahatchee Florida and Karin’s son, Antonio Grifoni, composer and musician, with whom she had a particularly close relationship. Rosemarie also leaves behind many friends and relatives in her homeland of Germany, as well as Maine and Florida.

A summer graveside service will be held at Riverside Cemetery in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, the date and time to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to,

Cape Elizabeth Land Trust

330 Ocean House Rd

Cape Elizabeth, ME. 04107