Rosemary Kane Carroll, age 90, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 2, 2020, surrounded by her children. She was born on July 19, 1930 in Philadelphia, PA to Rose Gallagher and Thomas Kane. Rosemary was a lifelong Catholic and lived most of her life in Riverdale, MD. She graduated from St. Patrick’s Academy in Washington, DC in 1948. Shortly thereafter she married her beloved Richard Carroll, Sr. who preceded her in death after 44 years of marriage. Rosemary and Richard (a World War II Veteran) were proud of their military family - their daughter Rosemary Debes is an Army veteran, Richard Jr. and Thomas Carroll are US Marine Corps veterans, Jonathan and James Carroll are Army veterans. Grandson Sean is in the Army. Rosemary, Donna and Debra are married to retired Army veterans.
While raising her family Rosemary worked many years as a part-time aide at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School in Rocky Mount, NC. At 50, she decided it was time for a career. Rosemary took the Civil Service test and subsequently was hired as a clerk typist at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she worked her way up to the head of the agency congressional correspondence unit. In 1997, she retired after 17 years of civil service. After retirement she became a volunteer secretary at the Prince William County Courthouse in Manassas, Virginia and volunteered there until 2005 when she moved for a period of time to Boonsboro, MD. In Maryland she was a member of the Fort Detrick MD parish and assisted in many projects, most notably their annual shoe boxes to soldier program.
Rosemary is survived by her siblings Joan Huff of Falls Church, VA; Elizabeth Boswell of Bowie, MD; Kathleen Evans of Edgewood, MD; and Thomas Kane of Crofton, MD. She is survived by nine children, Donna Carmical (Stanley) of Fredericksburg, VA; Rosemary Debes (Leon) of Boonsboro, MD; Debra Rowe (widow of Dave) of Crawfordsville, FL; Kathleen Linus (Matt) of Boca Raton, FL; Richard Carroll, Jr. (Michele) of Rocky Mount, NC; Thomas Carroll of Fort Washington, MD; Leigh Ann Wester (Brent) of Spring Hope, NC; Jonathan Carroll (Joan) of Emmitsburg, MD; and James Carroll of Fort Washington, MD. Rosemary is survived by her 32 grandchildren, 63 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband Richard, her parents Rose and Tom Kane, her sister Maria Teresa Jones, her daughter Maria Teresa Poland, grandsons Richard Farmer and Kyle Carroll, granddaughters Lora Rowe and Cassidy Bales, great-grandson Declan Carmical and son-in-law David Rowe.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Journey4ACure, a 501-3c non-profit established in memory of her grandson Declan Carmical to support kids battling pediatric cancer. Donations can be made on the Journey4Acure.org website, on the Journey4ACure facebook page or by mailing a check to Journey4ACure, 43300-116 Southern Walk Plaza #649, Broadlands, VA 20148
On September 10th, a 10:30 AM Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Fredericksburg, VA. Burial will follow at 12:30 PM at Quantico National Cemetery. Face masks are required.
John 14:1-4 1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."