Rose Smith

Rose (Brondz) Smith was born January 13, 1927 and passed away December 29, 2022. She was an extraordinary woman whose life touched those of everyone she met. She was born in New Jersey, but grew up in the Bronx, in the shadow of Yankee Stadium. She loved to walk in Van Cortland Park and across the George Washington Bridge. She loved nature more than the city and was a voracious reader.

At the age of 18, she traveled across the country to attend college at UC Berkeley. There she met Galen Smith, the love of her life. They were married on September 9, 1950, on Muir Beach. They loved folk music and folk dancing. She was part of Malvina Reynold’s music circle and babysat for the children of Robert Oppenheimer.

In the mid 50’s she and her husband moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, driving up the notorious Al-Can highway in November. They moved into the Dogpatch neighborhood and made many friends. Their son Peter was born on a freezing January night with temperatures as low as -50. They eventually moved back to Berkeley, where son Damon was born.

She and Galen moved to Ames, Iowa where they lived on a farmette and daughter Nevenah was born, then to Whitewater, WI where they lived in a historic home that Rose lovingly decorated with art. They eventually ended up in Madison, WI after Galen retired. They traveled extensively in Europe including spending two semesters in an exchange program in England and Wales.

She got her Bachelor’s in Zoology at Berkeley and her Master’s in Library Science at UW Madison. She always wanted to be a children’s librarian, but that was not to be. She was head librarian at Milton College Library, worked at the UW extension in Madison, and finally at the reference library for the DNR at the Fish Hatchery location.

She was an active member of Prairie Unitarian Society where she greeted everyone who came in with a warm smile and welcome. She enjoyed reading to the children both there and in her neighborhood.

She loved art and always encouraged the artistic impulse in all her children. She enjoyed reading, singing and dancing, listening to classical music, and watching PBS.

She is survived by son Peter Brondz, son Damon, daughter Nevenah, granddaughter Iris Brondz, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Galen and sister Mary Anne Moore.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 4  at Prairie Unitarian Society, 2010 Whenona Drive

.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

3610 Speedway Road  Madison

(608) 238-3434