Wapella.com Mourns the Passing of Rose Mearida

Rosa Mae Mearida, 83, of Wapella died at 7:15 a.m. Saturday (Jan. 17, 2009) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal.Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton, with J. Kent Hickerson officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Clinton.Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Memorials may be made to the Rosa Mae Mearida Memorial Fund.She was born Sept. 18, 1925, in Decatur, a daughter of William and Mary Blackard Lowery. She married Merle C. “Buddy” Mearida on June 28, 1941, in St. Louis. He passed away Feb. 6, 2006.She is survived by her children, Merle (Sharon) Mearida of Clinton, Ronald (Vicki) Mearida of Wapella, Nancy (Larry) Scott of Bloomington, and Barbara (Allen) Pence of Wapella; two sisters, Mary Cox of Clinton, and Janice Cox of Decatur; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Billy Mearida; one brother; and three sisters.During Rosa’s courageous battle with cancer, she was lovingly cared for and comforted by Nancy and Ronnie, and the grandchildren who came to visit her.

Rose is remembered as a good neighbor, fine friend, and a great member of the Wapella community.