RoseMary Barley

RoseMary “Rose” Barley, 83, New Salem, passed away May 8, 2019, after her second battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at Salem UCC church in New Salem, with Rev. Darrel Aleson and Rev. Rose Trenbeath officiating.  Burial will follow at Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

RoseMary was born to Morris and Velma (Swett) Nelson on August 23, 1935, in Ainsworth, Nebraska. She attended and graduated from Ainsworth High School where she loved to participate in band and choir. On May 16, 1954, she married Robert Atkinson in Ainsworth, and while there, their first child, Robert, was born. They moved to California in 1957, where both David and Debra were born. In 1973, Rose returned to Rapid City, SD where her parents resided. It was here that she found her niche in clothing retail which afforded her the opportunity to travel the US to many buyers shows for 37 years. During her travels, she made many lifelong friends.

In 2010, Rose retired and journeyed north to live closer to Deb and her family in New Salem.  Here she quickly made herself at home.  She worked and volunteered at Elm Crest Manor, fixing hair and serving ice cream. She loved the residents, their families, and staff. She was an active member of the Salem UCC church, singing in the choir and singing solos when asked. She was also active in the Pioneer Club.

Rose loved people, baking, sewing, shopping (she loved a good deal), the many cats and birds that lived outside her house, and her indoor “children” – cats, Taffy and Candy.

Rose loved her family more than anything else. She combined her loves and searched high and low, year around, for gifts for her children, grandchildren, and those little great-grandbabies that she loved to hold and snuggle.

Blessed to have shared her life are her children and their families: Robert Atkinson, Spokane, WA; David (Lisa) Atkinson, Sr., Bennington, NE; and Debra (Clark) Norton, New Salem; her grandchildren: William (Olivia) Atkinson, Bennington, NE; Joshua (Leticia) Atkinson, Lincoln, NE; Tucker (Ashley) Norton, Bismarck; Jamie Atkinson, Lincoln, NE; Teryl (Sean) Russell, Billings, MT; Dean (Alesha) Atkinson, Lincoln, NE; Alyssa Atkinson, Lincoln, NE; and TD Norton, New Salem. She was additionally blessed with 11 great-grandchildren: Alycia, Alexis, Emily, Wesley, Samira, Ethan, London, Kenley, Priscilla, Kane, and baby Norton, due in November; sister-in-law, Carol Nelson; nephew, Mark Nelson; and nieces, Laura Nelson, and Lisa Petrovich.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Morris “Butch” Nelson; and grandson, Turner J. Norton.