Obituary of Rosemary Southard

Rosemary “Rosie” Rastatter Southard Rosemary Rastatter Southard, 81, passed away Friday March 25, 2016 at Saint Vincent Medical Center after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. A resident of Erie all of her life, she was born December 15, 1934, daughter of the late Leroy and Esther Allen Rastatter. After graduating from St. Benedict Academy in Erie she worked in customer service at Fenestra Inc. for 33 years until its closing in 1995. She then volunteered for five years at Community Resources for Independence. She was a member of St Jude the Apostle Church, Silver Sneakers Program at the Hamot Wellness Center, and The Parkinson Partners of NW PA. She liked to sew and read, and enjoyed spending time with her family. She was proceeded in death by her brother Joseph and his wife Mae Rastatter. Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Robert J. Southard; two sons, Russell Southard and his wife Lori of Erie, and Randy Southard and his wife Beth of Black Creek, WI; two sisters, Madeline Pesta and Joyce Dahlkemper and her husband Jerry; one brother David Rastatter and his wife Carol, all of Erie; four grandchildren, Emily, Wyatt, Isabelle, and Ben; and several nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Dusckas-Martin Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 4216 Sterrettania Rd. on Thursday, March 31,2016 from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited there on Friday for prayers at 12:30 p.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Jude R.C. Church, 2801 West 6th Street, Erie, PA 16505 at 1:00 p.m. Interment Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to the Parkinson Partners of NW PA, PO Box 10547, Erie PA 16514.