Daily Sitka Sentinel

Marilyn Rosi, Former Sitkan, Dies in Indiana

Leone Marilyn Rosi

Leone Marilyn Rosi, a former Sitka resident, passed away Oct. 13, 2018, at IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette, Indiana, with her husband and daughter at her side. She was 83.
Marilyn was born in Wenatchee, Washington, Nov. 18, 1934, to Carl and Leone Edwards. She grew up on the family property on the banks of the Columbia River outside Wenatchee, and graduated from Wenatchee High School in 1952.
Marilyn met her first husband, H. Hays, with the U.S. Forest Service  while serving as a forest fire lookout on the Wenatchee National Forest. Always one for adventure, she insisted they start their lives together in the great territory of Alaska which was not even a state at that time.
Together in Ketchikan, they had two  children, Hilary and Bruce. In 1964 they transferred to northwest Montana where their third child, Christian, was born. However, they missed Alaska and obtained a transfer back to Alaska in 1972, this time to Sitka.
Marilyn loved her life back in Alaska and greatly enjoyed the Alaska Day celebrations, the Sitka Summer Music Festival, walking through Sitka National Historical Park, working in the Pioneers Home kitchen, and making some wonderful friendships.
Marilyn met her second husband, Peter Rosi MD, in Sitka, and together they forged a new life, first in Washington State and eventually in Chicago, where Peter was from. Although Chicago was certainly a different world to Marilyn, she rose to the occasion and soon had a very close-knit group of friends with whom she enjoyed working out most days at the local gym, and going for coffee and visiting after. She was also active with Peter in the Orthodox church, first in Sitka and then in Chicago.
In their later years, Marilyn and Peter moved to Montana for several years and then back to the Midwest.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, June Edwards Blank; and her brothers Carl Warren Edwards and Gary Edwards.
Marilyn is survived by her husband Peter Rosi MD, of Lafayette, Indiana;  daughter Hilary (Larry) Bush of Missoula, Montana; and sons Bruce Hays of Missoula, and Christian Hays of Talent, Oregon. She also is survived by her four grandchildren, Carl and Eric Bush, and Lucinda and Gwenyth Hays.
The family extended appreciation to  Tim and Kelly Rosi, Peter’s son and daughter-in-law, of Lafayette, for their dedicated care of Marilyn in her last year of life.
A graveside service was held Oct. 19, in Romney, Indiana.