Rosemarie (Malarik) Flowers
OBITUARY
Rosemarie “Rose” Malarik was born and raised in a small coal-mining town in western Pennsylvania. She was the third child of Michael and Anna (Omek) Malarik and grew up surrounded by a large, loving Catholic extended family.
Rose graduated from Springdale High School and attended business school while working part-time. Wanting to see more of the country and escape the harsh Pennsylvania winters, she and a couple of her girlfriends packed all their belongings into a Volkswagen Bug and drove across the United States, eventually settling in Long Beach, California. The Southern California lifestyle quickly won them over. Rose worked at CSU, Long Beach while continuing her studies toward her bachelor’s degree.
In 1967, Rose was introduced to Ray through a mutual friend shortly after his discharge from the Navy. They quickly fell in love and were married in June 1968. As young newlyweds and struggling students, they discovered a shared love of nature and camping in California’s state parks.
Their love of the outdoors became a treasured family tradition. Their #1 son Jason went on his first camping trip at just two-and-a-half months old, sleeping in a tent in the mountains. Two years later, when #1 daughter Amie joined the family, the tradition of camping and appreciating nature continued through the generations and remains a cherished part of family life today with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
With no relatives nearby in CA, Rose and Ray built lifelong friendships through Holy Family Services. The families became their CA family, sharing countless camping trips, cookouts, and adventures together.
In 1983, Ray’s company transferred the family to the Bay Area, where they settled in San Jose’s Almaden Valley. At the time, Almaden still had a country feel with horse stables nearby, something that delighted their daughter Amie.
Rose and Ray soon found another extended family through St. Anthony Catholic Parish, a welcoming spiritual community where they became deeply involved for many years and still today are very active members. Rose was especially involved in the St. Anthony Seniors (SAS) group and helped organize several major parish events, including the 30th and 40th Anniversary celebrations. After moving to San Jose, Rose continued her education and earned her Master’s Degree from San Jose State University.
Rose loved adventure and travel. Her passion for genealogy inspired her to research her family roots, discovering ancestors from several European countries, particularly Slovakia. This interest led Rose and Ray on a memorable 21-day Eurail adventure through 5 countries. Although they never located distant relatives, they returned home with wonderful memories and stories.
As Ray’s career later involved extensive international travel, Rose accompanied him on many trips to England and Scotland. She often joked that the people there spoke “kind of English.” While Ray worked during the week, Rose eagerly explored on her own, taking trains to visit castles, wander through London, and shop at Harrods. She especially loved the charm, history, and beauty of the Cotswolds.
Above all else, Rose treasured her family. She often said they had been truly blessed. She is lovingly remembered by her devoted husband Ray; her son Jason; her daughter Amie; granddaughter Maia (Marcus); grandson Emory (Yadira); and her three beloved great-grandsons, Leo, Sebastian, and Theo.
Whether traveling together or simply enjoying a picnic in the backyard, Rose found her greatest joy in being surrounded by family and friends. She especially loved watching the boys play and “just be boys.”
The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Galatin of the Stanford Cancer Center for his years of compassionate care, and to caregiver Alamanetta for the exceptional support and kindness she provided during Rose’s final two years.
Friends and family are invited to attend the Funeral Mass on Friday, June 12th at 11:00 AM at St. Anthony Catholic Parish in Almaden Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rose’s honor to Martha’s Kitchen in San Jose.