Rosemary “Romy” Jon Boyle Petters, grandmother of Alex ’09 & Robin ’13 Swingley, Daniel Petters ’16

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 9 at St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville for Rosemary “Romy” Jon Boyle Petters, 89, of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Romy died peacefully on January 5, 2014, with many of her children and grandchildren surrounding her. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Friday morning at the Abbey church, prior to the funeral service. Arrangements are being made by Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home, St. Cloud.

Rosemary was born in St. Paul, MN on December 11, 1925, to Edwin Boyle and Gladys Von Ruden Boyle. Her family moved to St. Cloud in 1932. With steadfast encouragement from her dedicated parents, Rosemary graduated with a degree in English from the College of Saint Benedict. After graduation, she traveled to Chicago with her dear friend Mary Pluth Palmquist to work with Dorothy Day at ‘Friendship House’, furthering her passion for peace and social justice. Some years later, after her children were born, she began to create beautiful pottery and eventually earned her Master of Fine Arts from St. Cloud State.

Rosemary met Fredric Petters in high school, and Fred was immediately drawn to her beauty and the unique asymmetrical hemline of her skirt. They exchanged love letters during his service in the Navy and married after college. Fred’s industrious habits and sense of order complimented Rosemary’s spontaneous and easygoing ways, creating a very deep bond and happy union from which they both grew. They joyfully welcomed seven children and were married for more than 60 years. Their later years were spent side by side, creating beautiful works of art, traveling, enjoying the natural beauty around them, and spending time with friends and family. Romy savored life fully and expressed it in her reaction to chocolate.

Rosemary Petters was a peaceful warrior, and the battles she fought were always in the name of love and inspired by her immense spiritual devotion. She fought with courage, strength, and grace against war and to promote social justice. She is survived by her children, Fredric (Kim) of St. Paul, Jon (Colleen) of Avon, Becky (Steve) Randa of Wisconsin, Thomas of Kansas, Christopher of St. Cloud, Catherine “Cotton” (Mike) of St. Joseph, sister Margie Coyle of St. Cloud, 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, her great love Fredric, daughter Mary Judith Hoover, and grandson John Thomas Petters.

She has requested that memorials be directed to the Central MN Catholic Worker, P.O. Box 94, St. Joseph MN 56374 or Dorothy Day Center of St. Paul.