Rose Charmley

Rose Mary (Way) Charmley, 90, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2025, at her home in Oviedo, Florida.

Rose Mary is survived by her husband Richard Peter Charmley, daughter Mary Rose (Michael) Johnson of Oviedo, FL; sons Patrick R. (Lenna) of Seattle, WA; William J. (Maureen) of Beverly Hills, MI; and James E. (Sharon) of St. Louis, MO, as well as seven grandchildren (Rebecca, Jennifer, Thomas, Aidan, Colin, Jacob and Elijah) and 4 great-grandchildren (Jacobson, Audrey, Beckett and Carter).

Rose was born on August 12, 1934, in Madison, Wisconsin, the youngest of 12 children born to Harry James and Martha Margaret (Weber) Way. She grew up in a rural home, and graduated from Edgewood High School in Madison. After high school, Rose felt called to a religious life, entering the convent to pursue a vocation as a nun within the Catholic Church.

She relocated to St. Louis, where she deepened her faith and pursued college coursework in medicine. In her mid-20s, Rose sensed a new calling and returned to Madison. There, she met the love of her life, Richard, whom she married on June 30, 1962, in Madison. After brief residencies in Maryland, Wisconsin, and Ohio, Rose and Richard settled in Caro, Michigan, to raise their family.

Rose was a devoted stay-at-home mother who, alongside her family, became deeply engaged in Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Caro. There, she started a children's choir and channeled her lifelong musical passion into initiating and leading multiple handbell choirs. Over nearly five decades, she directed a range of ensembles, founding two youth handbell choirs in Caro and later guiding both young and adult ringers in various communities, a commitment she upheld until she was 89. She even purchased her own set of handbells to ensure her church communities could be inspired by the music she loved. Once her children completed elementary school, Rose returned to her studies, earning her degree as a Registered Nurse. She applied her skills and compassionate nature at Caro Community Hospital, the Tuscola County Mental Health Facility, and the County Health Department where she served as an Aging Specialist dedicated to senior care. Rose also returned to her alma mater, now Saginaw Valley State University, where she became a professor and taught nursing courses.

Rose and Richard fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where in 1999 they designed and built their retirement home in Sherwood Forest near Brevard. During this later chapter of her life, Rose embraced a new passion - quilting - following in her mother's footsteps. She lovingly designed and crafted custom quilts for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Together, Rose and Richard immersed themselves in their community, leading the local ballroom social dance club and volunteering with several charitable organizations. They spent many summers hosting their beloved grandchildren at their Sherwood Forest home. Rose also founded a handbell choir at their new parish, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Brevard. In their retirement years, they cherished traveling together, exploring foreign destinations such as Italy and other parts of Europe, China, and the Philippines.

When the North Carolina winters grew too harsh for them, the aging couple relocated to Oviedo, Florida, to enjoy milder weather and especially be near their daughter. They settled into a lakeside home with a dedicated sewing room, where Rose continued her hobby, creating quilts and blankets. Once again, they found a spiritual home at nearby Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, where Rose's passion for leading a handbell choir flourished anew. Throughout this time, she remained a deeply devoted and caring partner to her husband Richard every day.

A woman of deep faith, Rose was honored with a Funeral Mass on Friday, May 2, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Winter Park, Florida.

In honor of the impact of Rose Mary's life, please recall a favorite song - and look for an opportunity to do a random act of kindness for a stranger.