Rose Popovich (nee Pestru), born March 18, 1924, went to heaven on December 11, 2021. She is survived by her daughter Elizabeth “Beth” (Keith) Bartlett, granddaughters Megan (Eric) Kelly, Colleen (Matt) Maggard, great-grandchildren Tess, Alex and Laura who brought her much joy, as well as sister Barbara (Larry) Konopasky, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Alexander “Alec,” her sisters Jenny, Mary and Kay, and brother George.
Rose was born in Windsor, Ontario, and raised in the local Romanian community, where she met Alex. They were married in 1947. In 1952, they moved to Detroit, where Rose worked as a bookkeeper. Rose and Alex purchased a resort in Houghton Lake and spent summers running the property, creating many happy memories. In 1972, they moved to Arizona, living in Phoenix and Sun City, where they spent much time with Rose’s sisters and their husbands. Rose returned permanently to Michigan in 2005.
Rose loved to shop with her sisters. She was quite a bowler in her day and had a trophy to prove it. She loved spending summers at their cottage on Lake James, where she taught her granddaughters to dive, swam without getting her hair wet, and always had a batch of chocolate chip cookies ready for her family’s arrival. She and Alex spent long hours at the picnic table when friends and family came to visit. Rose was a wonderful cook, knew all the traditional Romanian recipes and always made a huge variety of cookies at Christmas. In her later years, she enjoyed watching golf and basketball, especially the Phoenix Suns.
Rose will be dearly missed by her family. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Rose will be interred at Van Hoosen Jones Cemetery in Rochester Hills, Michigan, beside her husband.
Offer Condolence for the family of Rose Popovich [1]
[2] Print This Obituary & Condolences [2]