Rosemary Vargo Weise October 10, 1939 - July 11, 2012

One amazing person, Rosemary, was born on October 10, 1939 in South Bend, Indiana to Joseph and Evelyn Vargo.

Named after both grandmothers, Rosemary recalled early post-WWII memories of the ice man and the rag man, and special meals prepared by her Hungarian grandmother at their tavern.

Having earned a BA and an MA from Indiana University in 1963 and 1964, Rosemary worked as a civil librarian to develop reading materials for the troops in Germany, where she met Isabel Naphin, whom she knew to the end of her life.

Sent to Saigon, she arrived just as the Tet offensive was in progress. She married an Army Colonel and later moved to Colorado Springs, Omaha and ultimately to Washington, D.C. It was there that she worked for International City Management Association, giving her the opportunity to cover the Northwest Region, and where she met her lifelong friend, Chris Hart.

In 1978, divorced and ready for another adventure, Rosemary drove her VW Bus, bringing along Sam sheepdog, to Bellevue, Washington where she was assistant city manager, and then ran a department for the city. Later, she drove a bus for King County Metro and had her own tax preparation business.

Joining Seattle's The Mountaineers to learn survival techniques, Rosemary slept in an ice cave she had helped build during a snowstorm on Stevens Pass, and spent another night at Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier in an attempt to summit.

Interested in public service, she served on the Animal Control Board for the City of Seattle.

Taking Audubon-sponsored classes on birding, Rosemary joined many field trips and helped others learn to identify and enjoy birds. Driving along country roads, she would always stop to investigate a dead bird which often found it's way into her freezer en route to the Burke Museum for study.

Fly fishing became a signature hobby for Rosemary. She was deeply involved with the Northwest Women Flyfishers club for nearly 20 years. It was there that she met many dear friends, was very active in teaching many sister-anglers about the sport, helped with trip planning, and wrote informative articles for their newsletter, some of which were syndicated and distributed nationally.

She was also a member of the Northwest Fly Anglers Club. She dedicated much of her time over the last decade as a volunteer for the local chapter of Casting for Recovery, an organization that provides therapeutic fly fishing retreats for women with breast cancer. A cookbook published as a fundraiser included several of her recipes.

Since 1999, Rosemary spent a good portion of the year in Camp Sherman, where she continued her love of fly fishing on the Metolious River. Believing in conservation and preservation, she joined and volunteered for the Deschutes Land

Trust.

Rosemary died peacefully at home in Seattle with friends and her faithful dog, Fisher, on July 11 from metastatic breast cancer.

She will be remembered and missed by her fly fishing buddies, by Chris Hart and Bill Morlock of Vermont, by Joanne Elston of McCall, Idaho, by Kim Lyons of Bothell, Washington, and by Holly Magowan of Seattle.

One special person, now missing from earth.

Honoring her wishes, there will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Deschutes Land Trust, 210 N.W. Irving Ave. #102, Bend, OR 97701.

Mike Kenny died on July 15, in Bend.