Rosemary Ann Brauch

1924 - 2021

Rosemary Ann Hellmann Brauch, 96, of Union, Ky., passed away Friday, Oct. 15, 2021, surrounded by her family.
Born in Cincinnati, on Oct. 27, 1924, she was raised in Ludlow, Ky., and lived in Bardstown, for over 50 years.
Rosie was an active community member, instrumental in organizing the Senior Citizens program in Nelson County. She enjoyed telling the story of taking her members to Kings Island Amusement Park on an old city bus. She encouraged them to embrace new experiences such as travelling out of Bardstown and braving the Sky Ride over the park. For their weekly meetings, Rosie would personally pick up many of the members, as they had no means of transportation.
Appointed by Governor Martha Layne Collins to the Institute for the Aging, she was able to provide input for the development and delivery of services to Kentucky's aging citizens.
Rosie was also an active member in the Flaget Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for many years where she volunteered in the gift shop and visited patients.
In her younger years, she was a registered nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Covington, where she was a well-loved nurse caring for premature babies. In addition, Rosie worked as a Red Cross Instructor for several years.
She was an avid fan of the Cincinnati Reds (90 years!) and Louisville Cardinals. One of her favorite memories was walking with her dad across the bridge from Covington to Cincinnati to see a Reds' ballgame.
Rosie was relied upon as the "Matriarch" of her extended family. She generously offered her sage advice, encouragement, love and wisdom to her nieces, nephews and grandchildren and they listened!
At 96, she still loved to blast music from her CD player every morning as she got ready to start another day. Johnny, Tony, Frank and Michael Buble' were her favorites.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Hilda Weis Hellmann; her husband, Charles Joseph Brauch; son, Charles Stephen Brauch; son-in-law, Mark Holt; her siblings and in-laws, Charles Hellmann, Richard (Joyce) Hellmann, Robert (Cynthia) Hellmann, and James (Ro) Brauch.
Left to cherish her memory is her sister, Jean (Bill) Mersch; daughters, Carol Brauch Holt and Suzanne Brauch Thomas; son, David Brauch (Mary Jean Riley); daughter-in-law, Debbie Brauch and sister-in-law, Judy Hellmann. She is loved by her grandchildren, Bridgette Brauch (Skylar Hinkle), Douglas (Mariela) Brauch, Jason (Emily) Cheek, Stephanie (Aaron) Wagner, Kimberly (Brian) Harvey, Nathan Holt, William (Zee) Motshwane , Thabiso Boyzzz (Fifi), Cola Malunga; 12 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
Mass of Christian burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at the Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral with the Rev, Terry Bradshaw as celebrant. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at Stith Funeral Home, 7500 U.S. Highway 42 in Florence and continue at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at the church.
Family and friends will then gather to celebrate Rosie's life at Bardstown Country Club at Maywood 130 Maywood Avenue.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy be made in the form of contributions to The Leukemia And Lymphoma Society of Southern Ohio (P.O. Box 772373 Detroit, MI 48277) or to the Alzheimer's Association-Greater Cincinnati Chapter (644 Linn St. Suite 1026 Cincinnati, OH 45203).