Rosemary Wallace Delano

Rosemary Wallace Delano
October 29, 1924 - January 12, 2015

Rosemary, or “Rodi” to friends and family, was born of Scotch-Irish decent on Chicago’s Southwest Side to Walter Wallace and Margaret Hassett Wallace.  A gifted artist and dancer, Rodi studied at The American Academy of Arts in Chicago before joining the USO in 1942.  The experiences lead her to enlist in the US Navy at the age of 20 in 1944.  

Following her training at Bethesda Naval Hospital she was stationed at St. Albans Hospital in New York as a medical corpsman tending to the marines and navy men wounded overseas.  

After the war, Rosemary returned to Chicago to study fashion design, eventually becoming a fashion illustrator in Louisville, KY and Amarillo, TX.

Rodi married Franklin Delano after a meeting him on a visit to Chicago.  They raised three daughters before Frank passed away in 1985.  

Rodi moved to Santa Fe in 1988.  Her passion for the history, arts and culture of the southwest flourished while volunteering as a docent in the museums and with the Santa Fe Opera.  She gave her heart to her church and its mission of ecumenical work.  In 2007, she received The St. Francis of Assisi Award given by the Archbishop of Santa Fe for her tireless dedication to the church in the efforts of bringing all faiths together in the love of God.  

Rosemary is lovingly remembered by daughters, Kim and husband Michael Fry, Lisa and husband Robert Morgan and Susan Delano and grandchildren, Lindsay Morgan, Sean & wife Ellen Morgan, Sarah & Emily Fry and great-grandson Grant Morgan.

A visitation will be held at 4:30 pm, the recitation of the Rosary will be at 5:30 pm with the Funeral Mass following at 6:00 pm, all on Thursday, January 15, 2015 in the Chapel at Church of the Incarnation, 2309 Monterrey Road, Rio Rancho, NM.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Rosemary’s honor to Freedom Honor Flight at freedomhonorflight.org.

Daniels Family Funeral Services
4310 Sara Road SE
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
505-892-9920