Rosalia A. Sowle

Called “Grandma” for over 50 years, because that is what she was to everyone she met. Born in 1926 in Tomah and moved her family to Wauwatosa in 1968 and stayed in the same house for the rest of her life. Grandma started working for the telephone company when she was just 16 years old, having graduated high school early, she was the major breadwinner of the family, something unheard of back in the 40’s and beyond. All while raising 5 kids.

Grandma retired after 40 years to take care of her last 2 grandchildren, Amy and Garrett, full time. But retirement kept her busier than ever! She volunteered for many different organizations, Amy often joking that in her 20’s she could not keep up with Grandma who seemed to have 3 different places to be every day of the week. Grandma volunteered for the Telephone Pioneers of America, St. Bernard’s Church, Habitat for Humanity, Easter Seals, the Sojourner Truth House, Zachariah’s Acres, counted the red kettles every winter for the Salvation Army, served meals at the Hart Park Senior Center for people that were decades younger than herself, served the homeless at area soup kitchens, was the original Neighborhood Watch for the Olde Hillcrest Association, and somehow still found the time to also volunteer at her grandchildren’s school as well as walking other neighborhood kids to and from school.

Grandma was there for the birth of two of her great granddaughters, even cutting the cord for one of them that had Rosalia as her middle name. She was devoted to Amy’s girls, Kylie and Kacie once they were born. They were best friends from day one. Grandma would drive an hour to spend a few nights a week at Amy’s house so that she could continue to work full time while going to school to become a nurse. Grandma would spend hours on the floor playing with the girls, teaching them everything they needed to know to succeed in school and life. Amy and her husband Mark would even come home to a clean house, dishes done, floors swept, and laundry washed and folded. She later helped with Garrett’s children as well, Bella, David, and Joseph. Grandma felt grateful to be able to still travel, this enabled her to meet her great-great-granddaughter Natalie and spend time with another great-granddaughter, Abby.

Grandma was the biggest Brewers fan in history! She loved going to games and remembered how sad it was when the Braves left Milwaukee. She “pestered” Bud Selig to get the new stadium built to keep the team here. He promised her that she would still be around when it was done, so she held him to it. She shared this love with all of her grandchildren, Chris, Craig, Erica, Becky, Jennifer, Amy and Garrett. An amazing baker, she loved to share her famous chocolate chip cookies with everyone and the raspberries that she would spend hours a day picking. She would get lost in her raspberry jungle to the point where no one knew she was there.

She lost her husband in 1975 and often remembered later that she had spent more years without him than with him on their anniversary. She outlived all of her siblings, most of her children, a grandchild, and many nieces and nephews. She would ask Amy why she was still here if everyone else was gone. Amy would tell her it was because the ones that were left weren’t ready to give her up yet. We still aren’t.

Being diagnosed with Dementia didn’t slow her down either. She was still as happy, generous, and loved her sweets just as much as ever. Her son Scott devoted his whole life to taking care of her in the last few years, enabling her to stay in her home till the end. Something that was important to us all. Grandma was a devout member of St. Bernard’s Church; it’s only fitting that she passed just days before those doors were closed forever.

Grandma will find her final resting place with her husband Bob. The interment will be on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 2:00 PM at Wood National Cemetery, 5000 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Near to her son, Jim, as well.

Imagine living 97 years and everyone agrees, it still wasn’t long enough. We could never imagine a life without Grandma in it, taking care of everyone. We will never stop missing you. We will remember you in every rainbow and cardinal you send us.

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