Rosemary H. was born on May 17, 1954, at Los Angeles Doctor’s Hospital. She was the third daughter of four children and had two older sisters and a younger brother. She did not feel like they were poor, but they did not have a lot of money or things. Rosemary recalls owning two TVs that sat on top of one another. One had sound, while the other had a picture. To enjoy their programs, they would turn them to the same channel. No matter what, they always had food on the table and clothes on their backs.
Rosemary’s father’s side was from Norway, while her mother’s side hailed from Sweden. Her father lost his leg in his early twenties, making him ineligible to serve in WWII. Rosemary’s mother dreamed of going overseas. However, the person she worked for in the Army wanted to keep her safe, so she ended up staying in the United States. Neither parent was strict, but Rosemary butt heads with her mother, which she accredits to their similarities.
A Working Woman
Rosemary’s family moved from Los Angeles to Orange County when she was four or five. She lived most of her life there, except for a brief stint in Riverside. Rosemary graduated from Los Amigos High School. She always thought of it as a new school because she started there
right when it opened. Rosemary babysat various children, but right before college began, she worked a summer job for TRW Credit Data, where her sister worked.
She went on to get her associate of arts degree from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. Afterward, she transferred to Cal State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. Although it was an exciting subject, she realizes now it’s not a degree you can get a job with unless you go on to get your Ph.D. While Rosemary attended CSULB, she worked for Sears, which in her opinion, was a much better store back then.
Pacific Bell & AT&T
After graduating from CSULB, Rosemary began working for Pacific Bell, a subsidiary of what we now know as AT&T. She started as a 411 Operator, which she shares were the lowest paying job and the most stressful. Callers can be rude or amicable, but the calls she remembers most fondly are calls outside the directory assistance services 411 offered. Rosemary received a call asking about what hands win in poker and another from a young girl uncertain about shortening for her cookies.
After a year and a half, Rosemary transferred departments to work for the central office in wiring. She then moved to the job she spent most of her career. Rosemary worked as a test technician with people in the field and the office. For the last 15 years of her time with the company, she worked the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
An Avid Rule-Follower
She lived most of her life in Orange County but later moved to Murrieta, and ultimately her job got moved to San Diego. Rosemary spent a fair amount of time commuting. She accredits her desire to be punctual to her experiences with commuting and her rule-following mentality. After 30 years of service to Pacific Bell, the company decided to move her job to Texas. However, Rosemary did not want to move and instead chose to retire.
A Lover of the Arts
After retirement, she returned to school and got an associate teaching permit for preschool. Rosemary worked as a substitute at a preschool at the Mt. San Jacinto College campus for a year. She also did some babysitting and taught Sunday school for 3 – 4-year-olds. While Rosemary never found anyone she was willing to marry, she did enjoy being an aunt to her nieces and nephews. Rosemary enjoyed the experiences of live entertainment. So much so that she held season tickets for NASCAR and various theaters throughout Southern California. Rosemary enjoyed going to matinees with friends so they could go to dinner afterward. She is a lover of the arts indeed.
In addition to live entertainment, Rosemary has always loved animals. After her friend’s dog had a litter of puppies, Rosemary adopted Scout. Whenever she visited her friend, she always brought Scout with her. Unfortunately, she had to give Scout back after she had a stroke and could no longer care for her. Scout now goes by “Scruff” because of her fur, but she will always be Scout to Rosemary.
Changing in China
After coming across a deal in a magazine they could not refuse, Rosemary and her sister made their way to China. Before the trip, she thought she knew what to expect. However, the trip opened her eyes to the various cultures, dialects, and distinctions China offers. After visiting a museum, Rosemary recognized her stereotypical views of Chinese people. The trip was life-changing and fascinates her to this day. In addition to her trip to China, she also made trips to Baja California, Rosarita Beach, and Ensenada.
Dialysis & Assisted Living
Rosemary has gone to dialysis three times a week for the last couple of years. Early on, she overheard a conversation between a gentleman and one of the nurses during one of her visits. Their conversation stressed to her the importance of watching what she ate. She learned a lot through talking with others and researching on her phone. Rosemary shares that her eating habits have changed a lot. However, if she could eat them again, she would eat a banana, orange, and an Almond Snickers Bar.
After having her stroke, she moved into another community for a couple of months but ultimately ended up at our former sister community in Moreno Valley. She lived there for a couple of years before calling Renaissance Village Murrieta home so she could be closer to family. Rosemary enjoys participating in activities like Bingo, Rummikub, and most recently, exercise. She is also a massive advocate for exercising your right to vote. Rosemary encourages others to participate in what’s going on in their country.
