Obituaries

Rosalie Estelle LaRocque, (nee Warczak), 86, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 18th, 2024, with her children by her side. She left us with grace and dignity, just as she lived.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 5, 1938, Rose was the middle child of Francis Sr. and Eleanor Warczak. She grew up on Milwaukee Avenue in a close-knit Polish neighborhood, alongside her beloved sister Delores Pacholski, and her brother Frank Jr.

Following high school, Rose enrolled in Marquette University in Milwaukee, where she met her former husband, Dan LaRocque, and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology. Together they moved to central Wisconsin, living in Rothschild and Wausau, raising five children: Ruth, Jean, Briget, Brendan, and Kathleen.

Her Catholic faith shaped her values and commitment to service. An enthusiastic participant in her community, Rose was an active member of the Wausau School District’s Board of Directors during a time of significant redevelopment for the district. Rose was also an avid skier, and was a committed member of the Rib Mountain Ski Patrol, where she worked in first aid along with many close friends. Together, they enjoyed trips to Colorado to ski the powder in the Rockies.

Rosie’s love of travel and teaching inspired her at the age of 60 to serve in the U.S. Peace Corps in Malawi, Africa, where as a Child Survival Officer she worked with community members to create educational campaigns to build healthy water systems. After returning home, well after being a grandmother in her late sixties and as a lifelong learner, Rosie went on to obtain a master’s degree in applied linguistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She went on to teach English as a second language primarily to international graduate students at the UW, where she could be seen hanging fliers in bus stops across campus. Rose was also an avid participant in Madison’s Participatory Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO), where she loved to discuss philosophy, art, history, and poetry with her fellow members. Her involvement in politics was an extensive and enduring passion, and she devoted herself to volunteering, campaigning, and engaging in Democratic political causes every election cycle from 1960 until she passed.

Rose’s gentle kindness, warm personality, her boundless desire to learn, and her passion for the arts and for travel are remembered fondly by her family and friends.

She is survived by her children, Ruth LaRocque (Tim Lawson) of Seattle, WA, Jean LaRocque of Cambridge, MA, Briget Koch (Stephan Koch) of Baltimore, MD, Brendan LaRocque (Meera Sehgal) of Minneapolis, MN, and Kathleen “Kate” LaRocque (Michael Bauer) of Madison, WI; her grandchildren, Svetlana Koch, Rabiya Sehgal-LaRocque, and Miles and Ava Bauer; and 20 nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and her siblings.

Rose’s family would like to acknowledge and extend immense gratitude to Jampa Dolma and the entire staff of J&B Assisted Living in Verona, WI, as well as the compassionate team at Agrace Hospice, for their dedication and excellence in care.

In honor of her wishes, there will be a private green burial with her children and grandchildren, where Rosalie will rest in peace in a nature preserve at Farley’s Natural Path Sanctuary. Gifts in her memory may be made to the Farley Center.

To view and sign her guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

5701 Odana Road

608-274-1000