Rose Marie Wiinikainen

CENTERVILLE —

Rose Marie Wiinikainen passed away quietly on Nov. 15, 2007, at her home in Centerville, surrounded by her family, as well as very special canine and feline friends, Molly Baggins and Fairy Sprite.

She was the wife of the late William H. Wiinikainen Sr. Her daughter, Annmarie Wiinikainen, preceded her in death.

Survivors include her son, William "Winnie" Wiinikainen of Centerville, who lived with her during the last four years of her life; her three daughters, Linda Wiinikainen of Madison, Maine, Denise Wiinikainen of Marstons Mills, and Wilhelmiina Wiinikainen and her husband, Richard Hagenbuch Jr., of West Paris, Maine; her brother, Robert Govoni of West Yarmouth; her two sisters, Dolly Henderson of West Yarmouth, and Alice Sprague of West Yarmouth. She will be fondly remembered by her 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, who loved and cared for her deeply. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews of all ages.

Rose was born in Swampscott on Aug. 19, 1922. At age 2, she and her family moved to Cape Cod, where they settled in West Yarmouth. Although she loved sports while growing up, she mostly warmed the bench but did so with great enthusiasm. She carried the same attitude while working and had been quoted to have said, "Work was my middle name. All we did was work, work, work." Those values, instilled by her parents, who emigrated from Italy, followed her through life. With a vision and a dream, she and her husband worked together to build their own home in Barnstable. She also worked at a variety of jobs throughout her life while raising a family. She retired from the Centerville Nursing Home after 13 years as a dietary aide.

She enjoyed bingo and the Tuesday Girls (Betty, Gladys, Mary, Winnie and Flo), visits with her sisters and brother, and dancing, believing she may have missed her calling as a professional dancer. But her greatest passion was baking nisu, a Finnish braided coffee bread, a recipe she learned from eagerly watching her Finnish mother-in-law. She baked large batches of the fragrant loaves in the early morning hours just to give them away.

The reason why so many who got to know and love her was her outgoing friendliness, her beautiful smile, and the wonderful life stories that she told.

Some of the things she will be remembered by are ladybugs, chocolate and butterflies, along with the simple yet powerful phrase "I love you," which she spoke so often and freely during her last days of life.

Visiting hours will be held at the John-Lawrence Funeral Home, 3778 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Marstons Mills, on Monday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services are Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 10 a.m., in the funeral home. Burial will be in Mosswood Cemetery, Cotuit.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the family for Rose's last expenses.