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Rose H. Salem

Rose H. Salem, of Kenwood, died on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Rose is survived by her sister, Dolores Salem Fry, of San Marcos; brothers, William (Mariam), of Pittsburg, Michael (Esther) of Ohio, George (Helen), of Florida and Richard Salem, of El Paso, Texas. She will also be sadly missed by her dear friend, Nina Wilson, of Sonoma.

Rose was born Oct. 15, 1924, in Ford City, Penn., a suburb of Pittsburgh. Her parents, Naif and Susan Salem, emigrated from Syria through Ellis Island in the late 1890s; Rose was the sixth of 10 children. In addition to her parents, Rose was preceded in death by her brother John; and sisters, Ann Aber, Amelia Young and Alice Ayoob.

Rose served in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1948, received a BA in English literature from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colo. She enlisted in the United States Air Force from 1952 to 1955. She was a Special Agent, OSI, Personnel Officer; Commander Det. 49, AF Intelligence Service. She remained in the reserves for 35 years and retired with the rank of colonel in 1984. She was awarded the NDMS World War II Victory Medal, American Theatre Medal, APTO Theater Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Rose went on to receive her MA in library science, USC, Los Angeles (junior year in college was spent in Sorbonne, University of Paris, France) and worked as regional reference librarian, Los Angeles County. She was also a real estate agent in Los Angeles County.

In 1982, Rose moved to Kenwood where she found her little piece of heaven on earth. She tended faithfully to her garden of pears, apples, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant, onions - you name it, she grew it. Some of what she grew she sold to local restaurants but most of it was donated to the local senior citizens group.

Rose was an ardent bridge player and played several times a week at the Vintage House senior center in Sonoma. She loved going to the independent movies with her friend, Nina Wilson, at the Rialto Theater. Rose's love of literature was a lifetime passion and there never was a time that she wasn't in the middle of several novels. Family could expect their Christmas/birthday presents to be books that had Rose's stamp of approval. She also loved music and dance; she looked forward to all the talent reality shows on television.

Rose was very good with numbers; she was a volunteer tax counselor at Vintage House for many years. Rose traveled all over the world, but had a special affinity for Hawaii. He especially delighted in hosting island trips for her now deceased sisters. She enjoyed her Las Vegas excursions with family in friends, but in particular had many great experiences in life with her sister, Dolores and friend Nina.

A private burial will be held at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside on Jan. 24, 2011; a memorial service will be held at Vintage House senior center in Sonoma, on Jan. 30 at 1 p.m.

Arrangements under the direction of Duggan's Mission Chapel, Sonoma; www.duggansmissionchapel.com.