Trending
Rosemarie McKowen of New Martinsville, West Virginia, passed away on the afternoon of July 28, 2024, at the age of 90.
Rosemarie was predeceased by her husband, James A. McKowen; her father and mother, Anthony and Marion DiMinno; and her brother, Lawrence DiMinno. She was survived by her brother, Anthony J. DiMinno; her sister, Margaret Hering; her three children, James Anthony McKowen, Margaret Ann McKowen, and Michael Sean McKowen; five grandchildren, James Andrew McKowen, Ryan Daniel McKowen, Patrick Sean McKowen, Allie Margaret McKowen, and Matthew James McCaulay; and her niece, Crystal DiMinno.
Rosemarie attended high school in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. She earned a B.A. in Design and Architecture from Penn State University where she studied with such artists as Chen Chi (Chinese-American painter), Harold Altman (American painter and printmaker), and Willem De Kooning (Dutch-American abstract expressionist) and Elaine De Kooning (abstract expressionist and figurative expressionist painter). She was the first one in her family to graduate from college. From the time she was four years old, she told people that she would go to college.
She moved to New Martinsville, West Virginia in 1963 when her husband secured a job with PPG Industries as a research chemist. Following her husband's retirement, she continued to live in New Martinsville until she and her husband relocated to Shepherdstown, West Virginia in 2017 to live with her daughter Peggy.
Rosemarie was an artist and educator. She worked in many media including oils, acrylics, watercolor, and ceramics. Her last exhibition, a retrospective celebrating her 90th birthday, was held at the Gold Derrick Gallery in Sistersville, West Virginia in March 2024.
Rosemarie taught art to all grades, from kindergarten through college, including both gifted and exceptional students, as well as adult classes. She began teaching at West Virginia Northern Community College in 1972 when the college opened its New Martinsville campus and taught courses there for nearly 30 years. She was also active in the community, working on sets and costumes for plays and musicals at Magnolia High School in New Martinsville.
She was a founding member of the West Virginia Watercolor Society and held several positions within that organization including President, Vice President, and Trustee. During her years with the society, she curated exhibitions throughout the state and sought funding opportunities for artists to work in West Virginia. In partnership with Consolidation Coal Company, she prepared art calendars.
She was also active in a stock ownership club. Among her other interests, she enjoyed gardening and cooking.
A vigil will be held from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Jarvis-Williams Funeral Home in New Martinsville, on Thursday, August 1, 2024, followed by a visitation from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., and a Celebration of Life for her and her husband (who passed in 2020) from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Proctor, WV on Friday, August 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
Expression of sympathy may be made www.jarvisfuneralhomes.com.