Rosemary VanderBand

Rosemary Sanzi VanderBand was an extraordinary woman. She was extremely intelligent graduating from high school at age 16 and getting her pharmacy degree from Ferris state during a time when few women were going to college, let alone majoring in pharmaceutical studies.

She got her degree while married, moving states with LeRoy, her husband, who was in the Air Force and working full time. She was always learning new things and encouraging others to as well. Every family vacation was an educational experience for the children whether it was to a historical site, navigational skills, map reading or budgeting the trip expenses.

Rosie was a wicked scrabble player who routinely scored in the 300 point range while encouraging her opponents who always lagged far behind. She was extraordinarily gifted in the fine arts. She began singing in high school and sang in church and community choirs for many years. This was something both Van and Rosie enjoyed. She loved the outdoors and gardened, growing both flowers and vegetables. She was a wonderful painter who worked in oils preferring to paint nature scenes. She was a whiz with a needle of any kind. She sewed clothes for everyone and everything from Barbies and baby dolls to G. I.Joe’s and teddy bears. She sewed Christmas pajamas to wedding dresses from sketches and everything in between. She cross-stitched over a hundred wedding,anniversary and new baby pieces. She knitted and crocheted hundreds of blankets, scarves, mittens and hats.

Everything she created from paintings to hats was given away freely and all were imbued with her love. Rosemary was extraordinarily caring. She truly believed in the Lord’s commandment of “love your neighbor as yourself”. Her pharmacy was even named “Pharmacy Care”. A labor of love she owned for close to fifty years. She gave her house phone out to her customers so she could be reached at any time when ever there was a question or concern. I don’t think she ever got through a meal without at least one phone call. She was known to accept food and services from customers who could not pay with cash. She was “Auntie” to all and once you met her she considered you family.

Time spent with family and friends was the most important thing to Rosemary. Whether Van and her were traveling to visit or be part of a celebration or opening their house to swim parties and barbecues; everything always centered on the bonds of love and caring that was and will always be “Aunt Rosie’s” legacy.

Rosemary Vander Band, age 76 of Wayland, passed away January 23, 2015. She was preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy in 2010. Rosemary is survived by her children, Carla Reil and Albert VanderBand; grandchildren Ryan (Lisa) Reil, Joshua (Jennifer) Reil, Hanna VanderBand, Tiffany (Tieg) Darling, Jordan Reil; great-grandchildren, Maddy Reil, Ryan Lee Reil Jr., Roman Robert Reil, Makayla Reil, and Benjamin Darling; special nieces, Sherry Snyder, Christine Ward; grandnieces and grandnephews, Cory Buck Snyder, Elizabeth Marie Snyder, Christopher Jacobs, Tom Jacobs, Ashley Ward, Hunter Ward; great-grandniece, Braelin Wuis; and her sister, Cathy LaLonde. A service to remember and celebrate her life will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, January 29, 2015 at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW where friends may visit with her family on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Hospice of Michigan are appreciated. To read more about Rosemary, to share a favorite memory or to sign her guestbook, visit www.lifestorynet.com.