Rose Marie A. Edinger

Colonel Rose Marie A. Edinger, USA Ret., Army Nurse Corps, age 69, of Easton, Pennsylvania, died Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at Penrose Hospital, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
She was the daughter of the late Charles and Anne (Drissell) Banko. She spent her childhood in Easton, graduated from Notre Dame High School, and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from College Misercordia in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
Rose Marie entered the United States Army Nurse Corps in June 1976. Her career spanned 35 years in the United States Army culminating in her promotion to Colonel and assignment as Chief Nurse, Critical Care, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Her assignments included various nursing positions and roles of increased responsibility at Fort Polk, LA; Stuttgart, Germany; Fort Knox, KY; Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Carson, Colorado; Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX; and Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC. She also saw action with the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) while assigned to the 47th Combat Support Hospital during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.
Rose Marie also earned a Master's Degree in Nursing from Syracuse University in 1987.
Her awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit; the Bronze Star; the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters; the Army Commendation Medal; the Army Achievement Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster; the Army Good Conduct Medal; the National Service Defense Ribbon; the Southwest Asia Service Medal; the Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. She also earned the Expert Field Medical Badge.
Following her retirement from the Army in 2011, she continued working as a consultant with the Hospital Association of Washington, DC; Ernst & Young; Cognosante; and others. She lived a life of devoted service to God, family, friends, the Army and country. She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Timothy P. Edinger; her sons Jason D. Edinger (Robin) of Newbury, Massachusetts and Michael T. Edinger (Jill) of Carbondale, Colorado; six grandchildren: Teddy, Gus, Preston, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Grant; her sisters, Kathy Klabunde and Bernardine Wentzell; and many nephews and nieces.
All whose souls she touched will miss her greatly.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Army Emergency Relief (AER) Fund, the Travis Mills Foundation, the Combat Soldiers Recovery Fund, or the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.
A Memorial Service followed by a Catholic Mass will be held at 10:00AM, Friday, 13 October, 2023 at Saint Paul Church, 9 El Pomar Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906.
Rose Marie will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery; date/time to be determined.