Rosalie Barker

Rosalie Barker, 89, of Rock Island, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at the home of her daughter in Milan. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 am, Tuesday at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Milan. Visitation will be Monday from 4 pm to 7 pm, at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Milan, where a rosary will be recited at 3:30 pm. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Rock Island. Memorials may be made to the Pilot Cub of Moline or to St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Milan. 

Rosalie was born on May 7, 1930 in Queens, New York City, New York, a daughter of Sebastiano and Antoinette (Cataldo) Terzo. She married the love of her life, Donald I Barker on February 18, 1951 in New York City. They shared endless sweet memories together, with many of their favorites involving a ball field and meals shared with family and friends. He preceded her in death on December 18, 1976. Rosalie worked as an assistant manager for Sears and Roebuck Co. in Moline for 28 years before retiring. She later returned to work for 10 more years, as the jewelry manager for Kohls in Moline before retiring again. She was a member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church of Milan, Pilot Club of Moline, Women of the Moose, Colonel Davenport House Historical Foundation, Plus 60, Rock Island County Historical Society, Society of Italian American Club, and Friends of the Rock Island Public Library. She loved volunteering with Trinity Hospital, WQPT, Friends of Friendship Manor, and the Saint Mary Monastery. Rosalie enjoyed bowling, playing softball, reading, doing the morning crosswords, watching Jeopardy & Wheel of Fortune, listening to music, going to the movies, and traveling all over the world with her friend Marlene. She never met a person she didn’t want to be friends with, and she cherished being a pen pal to many all over the world. Some of her favorite things included Eeyore, bird and squirrel watching, growing plants and flowers, and doing jigsaw puzzles with her family and friends.

Survivors include her children, Wesley Barker, Rock Island, Barbara (Bill) Crawford, Milan, Kevin (Lynn) Barker, Davenport, and a long time daughter-in-law Sharon; eight grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter. She was so proud of her family and she loved them big.

Rosalie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; and a sister, Sarina Wicall. Online condolences may be left for the family at wheelanpressly.com

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