Rosemary H. Ihnen

Rosemary Halldorson Ihnen entered into rest January 26, 2012. She was born in 1924 in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in nearby Wilmette, Illinois, the daughter of second-generation immigrant parents from Iceland and Sweden, Thomas and Mabel Halldorson. She is survived by her husband, Menard, children Barbara Schipani (Frank, deceased), Theodore Ihnen, Kristine Sampson (Mike), Nicholas Ihnen, Peter Ihnen and Noelle Hall (Reid), a sister, Audrey Newcomb (William, deceased), and grandchildren Julia Schipani, Anne Schipani, Matthew Sampson, Anthony Ihnen, Christopher Ihnen, Andrew Hall and Nathan Hall.

Rosemary graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, and received a B.A. from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. She married Menard Ihnen in 1947, and lived in Seattle, Okinawa and Northern California before settling in St. Louis for several years while Menard practiced medicine. In 1955 they moved to Augusta where they raised a family of six children. She was a devoted wife and mother. Rosemary and Menard recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

Rosemary was active in civic work, starting with the League of Women Voters (President). The League was very active at that time, printing non-partisan Voters’ Guides for the public, sponsoring TV programs interviewing the local candidates and also sending out observers to the courts. In addition she was a leader in activities in support of the developmentally disabled. She worked with the Association for Retarded Citizens (President). She started a summer camp for mentally handicapped children in conjunction with the Civitan Service Club of Augusta. She was involved in the oversight of the construction of the Richmond County Training Center for mentally handicapped adults on Phinizy Road and was given the Pella Award and the Amelia Rowan Award by the Georgia Association for Retarded Citizens for her work with the mentally handicapped.

Rosemary was active in the Lutheran Church in Augusta for more than fifty-five years, both at Advent Lutheran Church (President of the women of the Church and member of Church Council and the Choir) and later, at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection (Church Council Member, Choir member, Assistant Organist, downtown soup kitchen volunteer, President of the Women’s Association and Sunday School teacher.) Her faith touched many lives.

Rosemary had a lifelong love of music and the arts. She was an accomplished pianist and participated in chamber music ensembles with family and friends. She played viola with the Augusta Symphony. She and her husband were charter members of the Augusta Collegium, a choral group specializing in Renaissance and Baroque Music. Rosemary also participated in the Augusta Symphony Guild, Harry Jacobs Chamber Music Society, the South Carolina Bach Choir and the Augusta Philomathic Society.

Rosemary loved the outdoors and over the years enjoyed ice skating, horseback riding, hiking, tennis and swimming. She belonged to Health Central, and enjoyed the Water Aerobics Class there. She also enjoyed walking on the North Augusta Greenway and Riverview Park Activities Center track.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 4th at 4 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 825 Greene St., Augusta, Georgia 30901. Arrangements are through Platt’s Funeral Home, 721 Crawford Avenue, Augusta, Georgia 30904.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.