Rose Mary Condon

MADISON-Rose M. Condon, age 86, of Madison, passed away on Sunday, July 17, 2016, at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge. Rose was the eighth child born to Larino and Elisabetta (Pellizzi) Lattanzi of Mt. Kisco, N.Y. She went to school, worked, and lived there until Oct. 2, 1955, when she married Richard E. Condon and moved to Virginia Beach, Va. The U.S. Navy relocated Rose and Dick a few more times before they settled in Madison, where Rose took a job with GTE. She was employed there for 21 years as a Budget Analyst and Human Resource Administrator and as she expressed, "I enjoyed every minute of it"! Rose and Dick both retired early to travel. One great adventure was by motor home where they piggy-backed on a train through the Baja Copper Canyon in the mountains of Mexico. The same motor home took them to Alaska and most of the U.S. They traveled locally for a few years with a group called the "Roving Retreads". Other great travels were to Brazil, Spain, China, and Italy. Rose pursued many other interests and activities in her life. For many years she belonged to Madison Toastmistress club where she became very knowledgeable in Roberts Rules of Order. She belonged to the National Association of Parliamentarians, was a president of the Sun Prairie chapter of AARP, GTE's Speaker's Bureau, served on the Board of Directors of Commonwealth Credit Union, RSVP driver in Sun Prairie, Vice President of Friends of the Sun Prairie Library, and Colonial Club Senior Activity Center Advisory Board and Public Relations Committee. More recently Rose served as Vice President of Oakwood Village East Resident Council and Resident Association. She was also a member of the Programs, Crafts and Trips committee and the By-Laws Committee. Rose belonged to Kayra (an organization for widowed people) and the Madison Jazz society. For a brief time Rose also hosted a local cable access show in Sun Prairie called "Ramblin with Rose". Rose loved music, jazz, blues, big band, in the park, in her car, everywhere. She was an avid reader and talented painter. Rose enjoyed scrabble, dominos, swimming, gardening and she loved playing cards with her friends at Oakwood. She was very social and outgoing. But it wasn't so much about what Rose did that defined her. It's more about how much love and inspiration she showed to others. Her heart was kind and her spirit adventurous. She was tolerant and compassionate, a loyal friend, and the best Mom ever. Rose survived Polio as an infant, measles at 8 yrs old, ear surgery, a colectomy, double mastectomy, but on Sept. 12, 2013, a debilitating stroke left Rose without speech and unable to walk or care for herself. Since then Rose found joy in spending time with family and friends, her grandchildren and great- grandchildren, listening to music, long walks in the garden and enjoying the company of special friend and spiritual guide, Michaela Torcaso. Rose is survived by her children, Elizabeth (Kris) Gilbertson and Pamela (Ronald Cowan) Condon; four grandchildren, William Gilbertson, Cheryl (Mark) Housley, Ann (Andrew) Wells and Derek (Katie) Cowan; great-grandchildren, Madeline and Parker Housley, Elise, Emily and Edison Wells, and Lee and Eva Cowan.; and brother, Larry Lattanzi. She was preceded in death by her husband of 37 years, Richard; parents; son, William; sisters, Ann and Connie; and brothers; John, Fred, Frank and Victor. Memorial services will be held at OAKWOOD VILLIAGE PRAIRIE RIDGE, TREE OF LIFE CHAPEL, 5565 Tancho Dr., Madison, at 4 p.m., on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. Visitation will be held at OAKWOOD from 2 p.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Trees for Tomorrow, Oakwood Assisted Living or Agrace HospiceCare. The family would like to thank the staff at Agrace HospiceCare for all their care and support. Family would also like to extend a special thank you to the wonderful, caring and compassionate folks at Oakwood Meadows Assisted Living. Thank you so much for your tender care. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608)221-5420