Rose Marie Searcey

Rose Marie (Graham) Searcey, age 75, died Sunday September 16th, 2012 from complications of Alzheimers disease. She was a resident of Harbour Point Retirement Center, Mukilteo, WA and lately of A Kind Heart adult family home, Lynnwood, WA. Rose Marie Graham, a native Seattleite, was born January 23, 1937 to Emma and Harvey Graham. Growing up Rose spent many happy times with her Grandparents Elizabeth (Jo) and Charles Phipps. Grandma Phipps, a seamstress by trade, taught Rose the tricks and Grandpa Phipps introduced her to the joys of pet bonding. Rose often thanked her Grandma and Grandpa for giving her a good start in life. Rose had the unusual experience of childhood on a houseboat (before it was trendy) at the foot of Lynn Street in Seattle where her father was fulfilling his lifelong dream of building a 65 sailboatwhich he did. Rose graduated from Lincoln High School in 1955 and married Edward Gutschmidt shortly thereafter. They settled for a time in Bothell, Washington where their 3 girls were born and then moved to Mercer Island, WA in 1968. Rose liked to be busy and therefore her family was busy too. She was an avid fisher, bicyclist, backpacker, snow skier, seamstress and expert pie baker. Her family remains grateful that she passed on her love of an active, outdoor life. Rose and Ed divorced in 1980. Rose married Fred C. Searcey, the love of her life, in Portland, Oregon, 1980, and Fred and Rosie had 32 excellent years together. Along the way they managed to backpack Europe, travel the U.S. via trailer for 5 months (accompanied by Pepper the cat), canoed the Bowron Lakes, spent time volunteering with the Oregon dept. of Fish and Wildlife, built two homes from the ground up and loved to cut a rug dancing at the elks club. Rose began paid work with US West in 1980 and retired in 1997 as a customer resolution specialist. Rose and Fred resided in Beaverton, Vancouver, WA, Kirkland, Woodinville, Issaquah, Cowiche, Back to Vancouver, La Conner, and finally Mukilteo. It has been said that they had wheels on their butts. As Alzheimers began its cruel progression the essence of Rose remained. She could still swear like her father taught her (a sailor dont you know) and refused to give into anybody except Fred. He was her rock. Fred never tired of being her devoted care-giver and she was thankful right to the end. Her family is too. Survivors include her husband Fred C. Searcey, daughters Cindy (Jerry) Pfeifer, Issaquah, WA, Christi Masi (Scott Masengill), Seattle, WA and Cathy (Darryl) Reed, Lake Forest Park, WA. Stepdaughter Sally (Mitch) Mullanix, Everett, WA and grandchildren Mandy, Kayla and Parker Reed, Sam and Clare Pfeifer, Kacey and Meagan Mullanix and sister Charlotte Clendenning, Sequim, WA. Services will be held at 1 pm Monday, September 24th, at St. Thomas More, 6511 176th SW, Lynnwood, Washington 98037; a reception follows. Interment will be 1pm Tuesday, September 25th, Olney Cemetery, 865 Tutuilla Road Pendleton, OR 97801.