Rosalie (Sprott) Whitney's Obituary
Rosalie Whitney, 82, passed away at home on Saturday, July 22, 2017 peacefully surrounded by her loving family. She was born on June 27, 1935, daughter of the late Emanuel and Ana Sprott in Schwieben, Germany. She lived there along with her 4 sisters and 5 brothers on a rabbit and chicken farm, not too far from the border of Poland. When war broke out her father was drafted into the army, quickly captured and sent to a Siberian prison camp. He was later released when they determined he was just a farmer. The rest of the family was evacuated to a refugee camp near Stuttgart. Mrs. Whitney started her work career at a noodle factory in Germany at the age of 14. She later worked at a military base in Nellingen, Germany where she met her husband, Edwin Raymond Whitney. Rosalie came to the US in 1968. She worked for the Ramada Inn on Buckley Road for over 20 years, until her retirement in 1998. She enjoyed listening to her German music, eating German chocolates, watching game shows and the N.Y. Yankees, and loved her little corgi Rudy.
Rosalie is predeceased by her parents; brothers, Ewald, Josef, Franz, Reinhold, and Alfons; sisters, Cecilia, Lucy, and Agnes.
She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Edwin R. Whitney; daughters, Marion (James) Waddell, Deborah Rose, and Sandra Whitney; granddaughter, Natasha Trammell and grandson, Andrew Johnson. Rosalie also leaves behind a sister in Stuttgart, Germany, Hedwig Rzadca, as well as many nieces and nephews in Germany and America.
A Funeral service in celebration of Rosalie’s life will be held on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME. Family and friends may call Wednesday, from 10:00-11:00 AM at the funeral home, 3401 Vickery Rd. (corner of Buckley Rd.) North Syracuse, NY. A reception will be held immediately following funeral services, at the Liverpool American Legion Post 188, 205 Cypress St., Liverpool, NY.
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