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Rosella "Rose" Irene Lickteig Curtsinger

March 17, 1928 - September 21, 2019

Rosella Irene “Rose” Lickteig Curtsinger, 91, of Owensboro passed away peacefully on September, 21, 2019 at her residence at The Carmel Home. Rose was the fourth born to William and Anna Lickteig of Louisville, and raised on their farm with her siblings Wilbert, Marie and Ann, all of whom have preceded her in death. Though the youngest, Rose was the first of the sisters to drive the truck, as she became her father’s assistant in harvesting the garden vegetables and transporting them to the farmers’ market. After high school Rose worked for the telephone company before falling for an energetic young Air Force veteran of WWII named Tom Curtsinger who, like Rose, had grown up Catholic on a Kentucky farm during the Depression. They met around the wedding of Rose’s sister Ann, to Tom’s brother L.J., and enjoyed 63 years of marriage before Tom died at age 96 (11/12/17).

Rose devoted herself to being a full-time wife, mother and homemaker in Louisville, then Springfield, and finally in Owensboro, moving there the year (1968) that all five of their children attended Immaculate School from first grade to eighth. Rose was a true partner to Tom in his work as the County Extension Agent, becoming fast friends with farm and church families throughout Daviess County. Motivated to find a job that allowed her to maximize her time with her school-aged children, Rose drove a public school bus for 14 years. She was versatile and creative with all things domestic, but perhaps most at home in her kitchen. Rose fed her family with care and delight; and her children fondly observed that every conversation or letter from Mom included at least one menu. She joyfully welcomed grandchildren (and “greats”), and was happy to help bring them up, in ways big and small. Rose’s caring certainly extended beyond her own family. She was a faithful parishioner who visited the sick in hospitals, participated in educational and liturgical ministries, and comforted the bereaved. Rose and Tom shared two prestigious honors for their community service and witness: the Rural Life Award and the Farm City Humanitarian Award.

Rose and Tom’s legacy of love and service lives on through their family; namely, their five children: Pam Passburg (Jim) of Montpelier, VT; Sister Mary Jo Curtsinger, CSJ of Chicago; Beverly Payne (Steve) of Owensboro; Tom Curtsinger, Jr. (Roberta Felker) of Fancy Farm; and Trish Colmenares of Clemson, SC; their ten grandchildren: Elizabeth Payne Eaves, Aaron Payne, Zach Payne (Martina), Josh Passburg, Thomas Passburg, Alec Curtsinger (Hailey), Brian Curtsinger (Shawnda) , Thomas Alton “Trey” Curtsinger, III, Adam Curtsinger (Shayna), and Ella Colmenares; their six great-grandchildren: Stephen and William Eaves, Audrey Clark, Adley and Sawyer Curtsinger, and Lucy Payne (due 12/6); and their many beloved nieces’ and nephews’ families.

The funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am Wednesday at the Church of the Immaculate followed by burial at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3:00 until 7:00 with prayers at 6:00 including storytelling by Rose’s children and grandchildren and Wednesday from 9:00 until 10:30 all at the church.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Carmel Home, the Church of the Immaculate, or charity of choice.

Memories and condolences for the family of Rose Curtsinger may be left at www.glenncares.com