Rosemary Wingerter

Rosemary Wingerter was born on December 7, 1954 to Edward and Mary Ann Dillman in Mobridge, South Dakota.  She and her younger brother, Dale, grew up on the family dairy farm near Walker, South Dakota.  She attended school in Mcintosh, South Dakota and graduated high school in 1973. 

Rosemary and her husband, Tim, first met as children during Mass at St. Philomena Catholic church in Selfridge, North Dakota.  They were married in that same church in 1975. 

Rose had a gift for caring for others.  She began nursing school at North Dakota State University and later graduated from Bismarck School of Nursing in 1979.  After graduation, she started her career at Mandan Hospital in Mandan, North Dakota and then worked at Med Center 1 in Bismarck, ND until 1987. 

The couple made their home in Mandan, North Dakota until 1987 when they moved to Fairbanks, Alaska so Tim could complete a MS degree at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 

Rose enjoyed working at Dr. Robert Taylor’s urology clinic in Fairbanks for several years and then joined Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in the early 1990s as an operating room nurse and Life Alaska donor services team member.  Over the years Rose helped to train many nurses and operating room staff.  Rose loved her job and had a large network of amazing friends and co-workers.

Rosemary was a devoted and loving mother to her two sons, Joe and Jimmy.  She had 5 grandchildren whom she adored.  Rosemary’s greatest blessing was her family and she was so proud of being a grandma.  Rose cherished time with her family and loved working on home building projects with her sons and husband. 

Rose was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2014. She fought a long and valiant fight and worked at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital until January 2023.  Rosemary passed away peacefully at home on February 18 with her husband, two sons and Father Ross of Sacred Heart Cathedral by her side.  She passed just hours after her grandson, Leo, was born.  She held on to life as long as possible to see that baby Leo arrived safely.  After she saw pictures of newborn baby Leo, first child to Jimmy and Rachel, she smiled, closed her eyes and left us to join our heavenly Father.

Surviving family members include her husband Tim, son Joe and his wife Lindsay, son James and his wife Rachel, her brother Dale and his wife Teresa and their children and grandchildren, mother-in-law Agnes Wingerter, and her five grandchildren: Gavin, Ruby, Max, Jack and newborn baby Leo.   

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers who died in infancy.

The family of Rosemary wishes to thank her doctors, caregivers, co-workers and friends for their unending love and support during her long battle with cancer.  Your support gave us more precious time with our beloved wife, mother and grandmother.

A visitation will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral Fairbanks, AK, Feb. 24^th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Funeral services will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral Fairbanks, AK, Feb. 25^th at 10:30 am.  Reception to follow at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Internment will take place at St. Philomena Catholic Cemetery in Selfridge, North Dakota at a later date.

The family asks that Memorial donations may be made to the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rosemary Wingerter, please visit our floral store.