Rosemarie Merrigan

Rosemarie Merrigan passed away peacefully on September 25 ^th 2020, after a courageous battle with the disease we will not give a name to. Rosemarie’s lifelong approach of looking for the positive in all situations remains a beacon to all who were blessed enough to have this beautiful loving woman in their lives.

Rosemarie was a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, dear friend and hero to all who knew her. Although she would be embarrassed to be talked about in such a glowing way, she deserves it. Rosemarie knew how to handle almost every situation, knew just what to say and just as important, what not to say. She had an uncanny ability to just listen and learn with enormous patience. Her gift was that you always felt better after spending time with her. She got some of that in her 40 plus years in the social work field.

After graduating high school at Regina, Rosemarie got her under grad at St Mary’s in Winona where she met many friends that she still holds dear today. She then got her Masters in Social Work at UW Madison. She touched many lives and made many friends in her time at Face to Face, Chrysalis, Hmong American Partnership, and the Center for Policy Planning and Performance.  She also worked at the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation as Resolutions Program Coordinator and then as the Diversity and Inclusions Manager. Rosemarie was also Adjunct Faculty at the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Social Work and also Adjunct Faculty at Augsburg College Graduate School of Social Work. Rosemarie was well respected in her field and will be greatly missed.

Rosemarie was preceded in death by her father Mike, who no doubt is anxiously awaiting her arrival so that they may continue their spirited political conversations.  She is survived by her daughter Maria; mother Marie; siblings Shannon, Mike (Erin), Kevin (Deb), Tim (Stacy), and Pat (Diana); many nieces and nephews, and countless dear friends.

One of Rosemarie’s many core life values can be summed up in a quote by one of her favorites, Maya Angelou “Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away”. Please see the beauty in everything and everyone. This world can be a wonderful place if we let it. This can be OUR gift to Rosemarie.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Common Hope or a charity of your choosing.