Virginia Elizabeth Rosewall, 90, died at home of natural causes on Saturday, June 2, 2018 in the presence of her husband, Tom.
Virginia was born in Salinas, to Rose and Paul Rima, and came to Watsonville in the late 1940s in order to attend Moreland Notre Dame High School as a boarder. While at the school, she met her husband-to-be, Tom Rosewall, Jr., at a school dance. Virginia attended the College of Notre Dame in Belmont while Tom attended Santa Clara University, and in 1950, after his graduation, the two were married. They settled in Watsonville, first in the little pink house built especially for the newlyweds, then in the renovated farmhouse next door, where Virginia raised four children, took an active role in the family business, and lived with Tom for the rest of her life.
Virginia developed a love of gardening as a newlywed and kept a spectacular, showcase garden at both residences. She also had an active social life, especially with her “Bridge Group,” fellow young mothers from the area who met regularly for cards and who often took excursions to San Francisco for shopping, luncheons, and musicals. She oversaw bookkeeping for Rosewall and Sons, Inc., the construction company owned by her husband and brother-in-law, and eventually served as office manager. Virginia had a sharp intelligence that served her well in her work, an elegance that made her a focal point of any gathering, and a quick wit that made her a treasured friend and companion.
Her family remembers Virginia as a devoted wife and mother who built her life around raising her children. Later, when the children had grown, she was able to indulge in another great love, traveling. With her husband, she made extended trips to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Germany, the British Isles, the Caribbean, and especially, France. She became something of a Francophile upon her return, taking French lessons, engaging in nightly wine-tastings at home with Tom, and adding to her already impressive repertoire in the kitchen. Most of all, she was a deeply loved companion to her husband of 68 years.
Virginia is survived by her husband, Tom, and her four children: Elizabeth (Edinger), Tom, Paul, and John; by her son-in-law Ronald Edinger and her daughters-in-law Birgit Rosewall, Linda A. Rosewall, and Beth Wagner; by her grandchildren Emily Rosewall, Eric Rosewall, Robert Edinger, John Edinger, and Anne-Alyce Edinger; and by Eric’s wife, Maddelyn High. The family would like to give a special thanks to Virginia’s tireless and devoted caregivers: Isabel Valdez, Bertha Valdez, and Marlene Valdez.
A public viewing will be held on Thursday, June 7, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Mehl’s Colonial Chapel in Watsonville. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, June 8, at 10:30 a.m., at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, also in Watsonville. The family asks that those who so desire make a memorial donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in Virginia’s name.
