Rosemary (Foley) Collins September 7, 1941 to August 7, 2025 Grandma Rose — A Life Well Lived A life well lived and a shining example to all — both human and animal friends alike. Grandma Rose may no longer be with us, but she leaves behind an eternal legacy of kindness, hard work and joy. Her guiding principle was simple: "Leave everything better than you found it." Though she lived in Marblehead for 62 years, she always considered herself from Beverly. She was the oldest child of William J. and Elaine Foley. Raised in Beverly, she had the good fortune to be cared for by extended family as her father fought in World War II. Her childhood was spent caring for animals on the farm and helping in the family ice business. She graduated from Merrimack College and married, splitting her time between Marblehead, MA, and her beloved Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Oquossoc, ME. Always learning, always teaching, and always, always rooting for the underdog, her achievements are too many to list — but here are just a few: Volunteer at Windrush Farm Adaptive Horseback Riding Chairperson of the Marblehead Conservation Commission Newspaper columnist for the Rangeley Highlander Board of Directors member for both the Wilhelm Reich Museum and the Logging Museum in Rangeley, ME Volunteer for Junior Guides and Eco Camp in Rangeley Longest standing member Boston Yacht Club Private pilot Registered Medical Technologist Substitute teacher Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Maine and Massachusetts Real estate entrepreneur Camp counselor Of all her accomplishments, her greatest was her family. She was immensely proud of how they worked hard, worked together and carried on with her legacy of caring for others. She leaves behind her husband of 62 years, John; her children Jen (Charlie), Amy (Jason), Teresa (Al), Carey (Dan), and Mike (Lara); her nephew Ben (Renee); her grandchildren Conor (Jess), Kiki (Dan), Ally (AJ), Griffin, Liam (Lyndsay), Logan (Ashley), Danny (Adrienne), JP and Libby; and her great-grandchildren Fiona, James, Maya, Vera and Violet. Her mind was like no other. She remembered everyone she met — your name, your family, your stories — sometimes even better than you remembered them yourself. In life's great chessboard, she could recall a connection from decades ago and pair that person with a new friend to solve almost any problem. She could fix almost anything — or at least keep it limping along — and if she needed help, she knew exactly who to call. She loved her "treasures" — thrift shop finds, swap shed surprises, roadside rescues. If something was "still good," it was coming home with her. In fact, we invite anyone reading this to come and take a box of "still good" stuff — she would like that. Grandma Rose was the ultimate storyteller. If you ever got to spend an afternoon on the porch with her, you were one of the lucky ones. She told of delivering ice by horse-drawn wagon with her grandfather, canoe trips with her friends from Songadeewin and Keewadin Camps (which brought her back to the Rangeley Lakes), countless horse adventures, kayak journeys, near-death experiences, and tales from her days in fire and EMS. People often left saying, "I want to be you when I grow up." If you have a Grandma Rose story, we would love to hear it — please send them to grmarose5757@yahoo.com. We know there are many. She was the champion of the underdog. She quietly helped so many — she was generous with her time, her money and her belongings, slipping checks into mailboxes, tucking twenties into textbooks before kids went back to college, taking people out to lunch when they needed it most. She never sought recognition — kindness was simply her way. Until you crossed her. Then, look out for the Irish Alzheimer's, where she never forgot a grudge. An animal lover through and through, she cared for countless creatures over the years. Her beloved Papillon, Archie, was her constant companion. She loved her horses, dogs and any stray that found its way to her. She cherished her walks on Phillips Beach, where she made lifelong friends — both human and canine. Grandma Rose perfected the "Irish Goodbye," and in that spirit, she did not want anyone to waste a good day at a funeral. Instead, friends are welcome to drop in and join us at her heaven on earth. We'll gather at https://www.baldmountaincamps.com/ in Oquossoc, Maine on Sunday September 7, 2025, between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm (her 84th birthday) for a celebration of her most beautiful life. She will be deeply missed by so many. She most certainly left this world better than she found it. In her honor, instead of flowers, please take someone special out for ice cream — or surprise someone who is down on their luck with lunch. She would like that. We would also be honored if you would donate to the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust. It is an organization that is dedicated to preserving land in her happy place, the Rangeley Lakes region. Please use this link https://rlht.org/donate/ Arrangements are under the care of Dan and Scott's Cremation and Funeral Service, 488 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington, Maine, where memoires, photos and condolences may be shared at dsfuneral.com.