Rose Rappaport passed away peacefully, in Boulder, Colorado, on June 5 at the age of 96. She is survived by her three daughters, Candace Rappaport (husband Joe Wilson) of Raleigh, NC, Wendy Lewis (partner Denis Newman) of Palo Alto, CA and Elycia Boyer (partner Michael Hirsch) of Boulder, CO and many nieces and nephews.Born in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1922 and married in 1944, she is predeceased by her husband of 36 years, Dr. Paul Rappaport, her parents, Naomi and Louis Goldblatt, and her five siblings.
Rose was a devoted wife and mother who is fondly remembered by her family and friends. She was admired for being industrious, practical, creative, generous, dependable, loyal, kind, self-reliant and had great common sense.In Philadelphia she studied bookkeeping before taking a job at the Navy Yard during WWII. She married Paul Rappaport in 1944 and continued working as a bookkeeper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while he pursued his degrees in physics.
Her husband took a job at RCA Research Laboratories in Princeton, NJ and there they raised their three daughters. While caring for the family Rose was an active volunteer at the childrens’ schools, the public library, and was the area coordinator for the Heart Fund charity. She was also a substitute teacher and she served on the Board of the Princeton Jewish Center, ran the gift shop, and did the synagogue’s accounting.
She had a love of art, and took classes in drawing, painting, copper enamel, and sculpture. As an artist she found her niche carving stone and was awarded prizes at local art fairs.
After 25 years in Princeton, her husband took a position as Founding Director of the Solar Energy Research Institute in Golden, CO, now NREL, and they moved to Evergreen, CO with their youngest daughter, Elycia. As a lover of nature, Rose enjoyed the peacefulness and beauty of the mountains. During her years in Evergreen, Rose co-owned a shop on Main Street called Mountain Memories where she sold antiques and collectibles. She was generous with her time, serving at the voting poles, tutoring reading, and volunteering as a docent at the Evergreen History Museum. She was also a founding member of the local synagogue, Congregation Beth Evergreen.
Rose was a faithful family member, a good friend and neighbor, and adopted grandmother to many. She was an excellent cook and hostess, and enjoyed sewing and knitting, reading, gardening, playing bridge, fishing, Scrabble and traveling the world.
As a resident of Frasier Meadows Manor for more than a dozen years, she continued to play bridge and Scrabble and was grateful for the kind and caring attention from the staff and particularly from her devoted caregivers, Kathe Huntley and Susan Milburn.
We all remember sitting around the table with glasses raised and Rose would toast, “Here’s to family and have a good forever.”
You can post condolences to the family at www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com. A celebration of her life will be held at Frasier Meadows Manor on July 27 at 2:30 p.m., 350 Ponca Pl., assembly room, 4th floor. Memorial contributions can be made to a charitable organization of the donor’s choice.