Rosemary Alice Weir Tooley
October 9, 1912 — March 31, 2011
A memorial gathering for Rosemary Alice Weir Tooley, 98, of Granville will be held Thursday, April 7, 2011 at Kendal at Granville, 2158 Columbus Rd., Granville from 2 to 4 p.m. A private graveside service will be held at Maple Grove Cemetery in Granville, Ohio.
Rosemary died Thursday, March 31, 2011 at Kendal at Granville. She was born October 9, 1912 in Cates, Indiana to the late Flossie Belle (Read) and Silas Wilkin Weir. Rosemary was raised in West Union, Illinois and was a 1929 graduate of Marshall (Illinois) Township High School where she was the valedictorian of her class. She then received her bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois in 1933. After receiving her degree, she taught music and other classes at the Oblong (Illinois) School for one year, then sporadically until her two daughters were in junior and senior high school. At that time she returned to the University of Illinois to receive her master's degree in Music Education and teach orchestra at Urbana (Illinois) High School, On May 19, 1934 she married Fay VaNisle Tooley two months after the death of her mother. They had three daughters. Her father remarried, and one son was born.
Rosemary, with her husband, resided in Urbana, IL, Newark, and Granville, OH. In addition to assisting her husband in his many activities, she was active in numerous community organizations. In Granville and Newark, these included the American Association of University Women, Granville Music Club, Monday Talks, Granville Tennis Club, Licking County Symphony, Owens-Corning Fiberglas Retirees, Toastmasters and several music clubs. In Urbana, Illinois she belonged to the American Association of University Women, Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra, and several music clubs. In addition, she assisted her husband with a young persons orchestra that met in their home while they lived in Urbana.
In December 1993 Rosemary received a commendation from the Licking County Symphony Orchestra recognizing her 28A½ years of service and contributions to that organization. In 1994, she received an honorary life membership to the American Association of University Women in appreciation of her 50-year membership.
Surviving are her daughters; Linda Gay Tooley-Guccione and her husband, Sam, of Charleston, IL and Brenda Joyce Tooley of Nokomis, IL; two granddaughters and their husbands, Diane and Steven VanMinsel of Fort Walton Beach, FL and Christine and David Peek of Irving, TX; two grandsons and wife, Doug Kennedy of Farmington, NM and Bryce and Kimberly Kennedy of Albuquerque, NM. Also surviving are her great-grandchildren Joshua Adam VanMinsel stationed in the Army at Fort Rucker AL, Jacob David Peek of Irving TX, Stephanie, Courtney, Devyn and Kameron Kennedy of Farmington, NM, Brett Kennedy of Albuquerque, NM; and a host of cousins.
In addition to her parents, Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband, Fay, who died February 9, 1992, one daughter, her brother, stepmother, and stepbrother.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Ohio,P.O. Box 430, Newark, Ohio 43058 or Granville Public Library, 217 E. Broadway, Granville, Ohio 43023.
Arrangements are in the care of McPeek-Hoekstra Funeral Home in Granville. To ensure family receipt please express all online condolences at www.mcpeekhoekstra.com.