Rosemary May (Beaty) Ruzicka-Jibben
Rosemary May
(Beaty) Ruzicka-Jibben
Cedar Rapids
Rosemary May (Beaty) Ruzicka-Jibben, 82, was born into eternal life on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was born at home, 1604 34th St. SE in Cedar Rapids, (on the corner of 34th Street and Pioneer Avenue SE) on May 17, 1941, to Phoebe (Franks) and Marion Beaty. She was the youngest of five children and was born 12 years after her youngest brother. Rosemary graduated from Jefferson High School in June, 1960.
She first married Frederick Allen Ruzicka, son of Myrtle (Langton) and Joseph Ruzicka, on July 29, 1960, in Clinton, Iowa. To this union was born three boys and a girl. After the birth of her first two sons, Rosemary went to work at Wilson’s Meat Packing Plant for 10 months in order to purchase a washer, dryer, and gas range. In 1973, Rosemary went to work for Collins Radio as an assembly line worker on an electronics line that assembled cabling for the big computer boxes for AT&T.
Her second marriage was to Dennis Jibben, son of Thomas and Hattie (Johnson) Jibben, on Nov. 27, 1974, at the Unitarian Church on Edgewood Road in Cedar Rapids. Dennis had two sons. To their union was born two sons. They lived for a time in Colorado Springs, Colo. In 1986, Rosemary moved back to Cedar Rapids and returned to work at Rockwell Collins for a total of 16 1/2 years until June 1990.
Rose was an exceptional and loving caregiver for several of her grandchildren in both Cedar Rapids and New York. In her retirement, she enjoyed woodworking, gardening, crocheting, reading and traveling to see her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and many family vacations. Her favorite vacation being a trip to Las Vegas, which included a side trip to the Grand Canyon. She also enjoyed international travels on a Caribbean cruise, a trip to Germany, twice visiting Lourdes, France, and Mexico. Her delightful laugh and loving smile will be sorely missed.
Survivors include seven sons, Alan (Diana) Ruzicka of New Market, Ala., Guy (Tina) Ruzicka, Darren (Lisa) Ruzicka, Troy (Andrea) Jibben, Ryan Jibben, Mike Jibben, of Cedar Rapids and Dennis (Lisa) Jibben of Kuwait; her daughter, Julie DeMaria of Wantagh, N.Y.; 16 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and life-long supportive friends, Salena Parish-Logan and Valerie Pearson, and their children and grandchildren; and her first husband, Fred Ruzicka.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis Jibben; her parents; four brothers, Jack, Frank, Richard, and Lawrence Beaty; and another dear childhood caregiver and friend, Aunt Kathy (Kacy) Clemens.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Saint Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, celebrated by Fr. Dennis Conway. Burial will be at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Papich-Kuba Funeral Service is serving the family.