Rosemary Alice Robertson

Rosemary Alice Robertson, 74, of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away peacefully on October 30, 2025. A celebration in her honor will be held at the Woodruff Place Town Hall on November 22, 2025 from 1-5 pm. All are welcome.

Born in Indianapolis to Charles and Helen Robertson, on May 17, 1951, she was the 8th of 11 siblings and grew up in the historic neighborhood of Woodruff Place. She would later raise her son Stephen in Woodruff Place and was proud that her grandson Chairo would also grow up in the Woodruff community.

She was a proud Tech Titan, graduating from Arsenal Technical High School in 1969. She later put herself through college as a single mother and graduated with a bachelor's degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in 1997.

Over the years Rosemary was a secretary for the Indianapolis Fire Department and then later worked as secretary for the first CEO of the Near Eastside Multi Service Center (now John H. Boner Community Center). She went on to work in human resources at St. Vincent Hospital, the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, and Greenfield Banking Company. Rosemary never encountered a stranger, only friends she had not yet met. She was known for her strength, her fearlessness, her boundless joy and laughter, and her relentless drive to fight injustice and help those in need. She was a devoted mother to her son Steve, who was her whole world until her world grew a little larger when she became Grandma Rose, a role she treasured with great enthusiasm. Rosemary passionately loved and was proud of every single member of her big, beautiful family. She was a fan of everything her grandson Chairo was involved in but found that her fiery temperament was particularly suited to being an excellent hockey Grandma. She loved nothing more than coming along for the ride and was game for anything, always armed with a small cooler bag filled with snacks, Diet Coke and peanut M&M's. No outing was complete without a stop for ice cream, because as her mother would say, "no matter how full you are, ice cream just fills in the cracks." Rosemary was an avid reader and a seeker of knowledge and in later years she gathered dear and loyal friends all over the world through social media, sharing a love of art, culture, current events and politics.

Rosemary's legacy will live on in the family and friends who adored her, and her countless contributions to her beloved east side Indianapolis community through the years. She grew up attending Westminster Presbyterian Church, later becoming a deacon and youth leader, she was the only female member (at the time) of the Near Eastside Kiwanis club, she was a member of the self-styled Pogues Run Yacht Club or PRYC, a paddling/social group started among friends. At Brookside Park she was little league coach, umpire and a member of the Near Eastside Women's Softball League, participating with her friends on a team called "The Unnaturals" whose motto was "never had it never will."

Rosemary is survived by her son Steve Jugg, her daughter in law Michelle (Sommers) Jugg and grandson Chairo Jugg.

In lieu of flowers, preferred monetary donations are to Westminster Neighborhood Services food pantry and soup kitchen. Donation envelopes will be available at Woodruff Place Town Hall on November 22 or donations can be made online at Westmin.org/donate, select "Adult and Family Services" from the drop-down menu and in the comment section please include "Donation to food pantry or soup kitchen In honor of Rosemary Robertson." A live link to donate may be found on this page under Rosemary's photo inmenu column.