Rosemary Jane Loch's Obituary
Rosemary Jane Loch of Muskegon MI, formerly of Harpursville NY, died surrounded by family on January 3, 2025 at age 91. Rosemary was born on May 13, 1933 in Factoryville PA. Raised during the depression by a strong and resilient single mother she learned the power of family, hard work, integrity and a responsibility to community. She was married to Lawrence Loch for nearly 70 years and enjoyed an amazing partnership based on love, hard work, faith and a good dose of humor. Larry was her best friend and she thrived with his love and devotion although she could have done without the Polka music. Rosemary was a mom and homemaker during the early years of their marriage but felt the call back to the professional ranks. She worked for Sears & Roebuck for over 30 years, leading the credit team in the early years, later with the executive team and even gave selling appliances a whirl in the then, lucrative, male-dominated space, confident she could do it better. And she did. Rosemary was a life-long feminist (not in the bra burning kind of way, thankfully) and she staunchly believed that women could do anything they want, "get out there and show them what you're made of" was a consistent message throughout her life. If given the opportunity she would have loved to have been an airline pilot. Instead, she settled for achieving Mach-like speeds with a lead foot that frequently found her meeting a host of New York state law enforcement officers. Rarely ticketed, as she was both charming and intimidating. Rosemary was an extremely talented seamstress that when combined with her love of high fashion resulted in amazing custom clothing that she shared with her family (Just ask Scott about his fabulous polyester jumpsuit). Really. Her sewing skills weren't limited to apparel as she taught herself to reupholster furniture and design bedding and window treatments. You knew it had been a tough day at work when another piece of furniture was randomly deconstructed and reupholstered that night. Her beautiful creations are still present in her kids' and grandkids' homes. And the fabric. Miles and miles of fabric is still present too. Rosemary was a great cook but she was truly famous for her baking skills. Pies in particular were her trademark. Her pie crust was legendary and always requested at family gatherings, church suppers and work events. Thankfully, she shared her recipe and secrets with her son in law, "he’s the only one that will do it my way". Probably. But cooking and baking could commence only after the house was cleaned and man, could she clean. The smell of Pledge, Comet and Pine Sol is both triggering and comforting to all of us!
She was an avid sports fan and loved college and NFL football. She was a fixture at her kid's and grandkid's sporting events and she was THAT mom and grandma. On the field or in the gym, you knew she was there and was always super "helpful" in letting you know exactly what you could be doing better, in a sport she never actually played. An opposing NCAA coach actually proclaimed her the "loudest fan in Division 1 volleyball." Well, that's something.
But Rosemary's greatest joy and achievement were without a doubt her kids and grandkids. She was the total "ride or die" mom and grandma. She loved unconditionally, encouraged our dreams, sacrificed for our opportunities, defended us fiercely and placed her foot firmly on our backsides when she felt it was required. Some of us required it more than others.
She logged thousands of miles to be with us to celebrate, support and to simply be present in our lives even relocating to Michigan in their mid 70’s to be close to the youngest grandkids. She was the best listener, provided her sage advice and was our biggest cheerleader as we navigated schools, sports, jobs, disappointments, love and life. Her spirit and influence will always be ever-present in all of us. Like the fabric.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her beloved husband Larry. She is survived by her 3 children and their spouses, Debby Jaquith, Scott and Nancy Loch, Dani and Michael ("Mikey") Zizak, 8 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
A heartfelt thank you to the team at the Harbor Hospice Homecare and the Poppen House. The love and kindness you shared with Rosemary and the support you provided her family was simply amazing. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rosemary’s honor will be directed by the family to be given to Poppen House explementary staff members. Checks may be written out to Debby Jaquith for this honor.
A joint Celebration of Life for Rosemary and Larry will be held Saturday, March 8th at 11:00am at First Lutheran Church (1206 Whitehall Rd.) in North Muskegon. Join us as we celebrate their amazing lives together. And chances are good, you'll get a yard of fabric just for showing up.
Share memories with the family online at www.sytsemafh.com. Arrangements by The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St. Norton Shores, MI 49444 (231) 798-1100.
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