In 1989, Rosemary Kelly and her husband, Dan, founded Rose Hill Center, which opened and began welcoming residents in 1992. For nearly the next 30 years, Rosemary served as the heart and soul of Rose Hill. With Dan, Rosemary provided inspiration to Rose Hill’s Board, volunteers, and staff, and sincere kindness and compassion to Rose Hill’s residents. Unfortunately, Rosemary passed away on March 7, 2021. Rosemary will always be remembered in the hearts of those who knew her for her big smile, warm hugs, and boundless energy.
In a true testament to Rosemary’s legacy, Rose Hill Center received hundreds of memorial contributions totaling nearly $200,000 from those who were inspired by Rosemary’s passion for Rose Hill Center and those it serves. After a series of conversations with Dan Kelly and members of the Kelly family, the Rose Hill Center Board approved the establishment of The Rosemary Kelly Fund for the Benefit of the Residents of Rose Hill Center.
Rosemary was well known for her commitment to addressing the needs of Rose Hill’s residents. While the staff and clinicians dealt with their day-to-day and therapeutic needs, Rosemary would pay attention to the personal needs of the residents. If someone needed a coat, a hat, shoes, or any other personal items, Rosemary would address those needs quickly in a quiet and compassionate way. To Rosemary, everyone at Rose Hill Center was part of her family, and she sincerely cared for them in that manner.
In keeping with the concern Rosemary demonstrated for Rose Hill’s residents, The Rosemary Kelly Fund was created to assist residents with limited financial means or those experiencing financial hardship to purchase necessary personal items.
A process has been established for Rose Hill residents to request funds for the purchase of personal items such as clothing, shoes, or toiletries. When these “Gifts from Rosemary” are awarded, employees of Rose Hill center will assist the resident in obtaining the needed items in a timely manner.
While the contributions kindly made in Rosemary’s memory will benefit Rose Hill residents for quite some time, the fund is limited by the donations made to it. For that reason, when the Rose Hill Board approved the establishment of The Rosemary Kelly Fund, they asked that it be set as an open fund toward which ongoing contributions could be made.
Thank you, and may God bless you!