Rosalie (Gill) Chase of Waterbury died peacefully on Blush Hill, July 16, 2010.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 4, 1917, Rosalie was the
daughter of Rosalie (Price) Gill and Ernest Adams Gill. She attended
Hannah More Academy and then worked in stationery at Hutzler's
Department Store. Rosalie took trips to Bermuda and Cuba and she loved
dancing.
After WWII began, she joined her brother Ernest at Bendix Aviation where
she soldered wiring. During the war, she met Stanley Chase who was a
sailor on leave, and in February of 1947 they were married. She drove
her Plymouth to Vermont and made it halfway up Blush Hill before she had
to be pulled out of the snow by Russ Lowe's horses. She and Stanley
lived in the house they referred to as Shingle Shanty for the rest of
their married life and raised their children there.
Though an Episcopalian, Rosalie was active in the Waterbury
Congregational Church, teaching Sunday school, and working and laughing
with the women of Circle Two for decades. She was an intrepid Girl Scout
leader and camper, master of one-match fires built in the snow, and
walked in many Fourth of July parades. She was a Gray Lady (Red Cross
volunteer) in local nursing homes. Rosalie was a member of the Waterbury
Historical Society as well as the Vermont Historical Society, and a
Friend of the Waterbury Public Library. In the late 1960s/early 1970s
she worked in the kitchen at Waterbury Elementary School (at least one
food fight).
She was an exuberant participant in all the Waterbury bicentennial
activities from wearing high button shoes to the fire hose volleyball
competition, complete with bathing suit and shower cap. Every Halloween,
she made popcorn balls and every Christmas, cookies for everyone she
dealt with throughout the year. Harold Grout passed on plenty of happy
birthday and anniversary wishes over WDEV "from the Chases."
Rosalie loved walks on the golf course (and finding golf balls), in the
woods, and up the road. She knit countless mittens, hats and sweaters as
well as her famous Christmas stockings still donning mantles today.
Rosalie never refused a motorcycle ride.
She lost her father at a young age, loved her brother dearly, and
brought her mother to Vermont to care for her at life's end. Rosalie was
able to stay in her own home until recently, when she moved in with her
daughter. She could still see her house and yard as well as the golf
course from the porch and spent hours there doing just that. At the end,
hospice stepped in to provide the best of care.
Rosalie is survived by son David G. Chase and his wife Marsha (79 Adams
Ferry Road, Panton, VT 05491), daughter Carol Chase Hardy, her husband
Bruce, and their daughter Olivia (73 E. Bluff Road, Ashland, MA 01721),
and daughter Jill G. Chase, her husband Yutaka Oiwa, and their daughter
Yuka (784 Blush Hill Road, Waterbury, VT 05676). She has one nephew,
Peter Chase of Rutland, Vermont. Stanley Chase died in 1995.
The family would like to thank all of Rosalie's caregivers over the past
year who treated her like the wonderful human being she was. The
Hospice team was amazing and in lieu of flowers we ask that any
donations be made to: Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600
Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641 (www.cvhhh.org).
A celebration of Rosalie Chase's life will be held at 1 p.m., Friday,
July 30, at the Waterbury Congregational Church. To send online
condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com.
