Rosemary Vahldieck

Rosemary K. Vahldieck, age 95, died July 31, 2015 at Oakwood Village West, with family at her side.

Rosemary was born February 14, 1920 in Milwaukee, the daughter of Christian J. Kreilkamp and Emma Marie (Blum) Kreilkamp. After graduating from high school in Princeton, WI, she earned her BSN as well as an MS and ABD in Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MPH in Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Rosemary started her career with the Madison Visiting Nurse Service. She served as the Green Lake County Nurse, returning to Madison in 1957 as professor of nursing at the UW-Madison. She finished her career as Public Health Nursing Consultant for the State of Wisconsin Division of Health. She was a long-term member of the Wisconsin Public Health Nursing Association. While serving in these professional roles, she raised three children as a single parent. Rosemary was an enthusiastic swimmer and bridge player who could also play piano. She was a voracious reader of current events and a strong supporter of progressive causes. She loved musicé�especially jazz--and dogs of any size or stripe.

Rosemary is survived by her children, Linda of Madison, Michael (Julie) of Mazomanie, and Andrew (Diane) of Santa Cruz, CA, as well as her brother Hermes Donald Kreilkamp (Mary Ellen) of Rensselaer, IN; step-grandchildren David, Katrina and Amy, and many nieces and nephews. Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband Edward, her parents Chris and Emma (Blum) Kreilkamp, her sisters Virginia (Gilbert) Church and Katherine (Ellsworth) Bradley, as well as by her brothers Bernard (Renee) Kreilkamp and Karl (Sadie).

The family would like to thank Dr. David Watts and Bruce Grau, NP; the many, many caring staff of Oakwood West; and the Agrace HospiceCare team, especially Kate Trapp and Kirsten Pollock. Special thanks to Sarah German, who skillfully and caringly comforted both family and Rosemary during her final days.

Per her request, Rosemary's ashes were interred in the Good Shepherd Mausoleum, Resurrection Cemetery, in a private ceremony. There will be a reception with light refreshments in the Nakoma-Westmoreland Room at Heritage Oaks, Oakwood Village University Woods on Friday, August 14 from 11:00 - 1:00. All family, friends and caregivers are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made in Rosemary's memory to the Oakwood Foundation, 6201 Mineral Point Rd, Madison, WI 53705, or to Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711. Cress Funeral Services assisted the family.

Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
(608) 238-3434