Roselie P. Goepfert, age 95,  died in Dallas April 21, 2016, of natural causes, with her family by her side,  following 50 days of  illness, recovery, and re-hospitalization that she bore with good grace and humor.  During this period, as during much of her recent life, her first thoughts and concerns were often for her family and friends, and for their own health and well being.

Roselie is survived by her daughter Dr. Marilynn G. Punaro and husband Vincent J. Punaro of Dallas; granddaughter Amy P. Calhoun and husband Michael B. Calhoun of Roseville, Ca.; niece Chriss Altis and husband Marvin Altis of Wisconsin Rapids; nephew David Pittman and wife Kathy Pittman of Durham, N.C.; and numerous grand nephews and nieces.  She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Ben L. Goepfert of Spring Texas, and her brother David Walter Pittman of Taylorville, Il.

Born in Lewistown, Illinois, to Ross Pittman and Frances Gibble Pittman, as a youth Roselie appreciated visits to her mother's relatives farm in the country, where food, and the virtues of family and hard work were in good supply.  Besides her family and friends, closest to Roselie's heart were numerous cats and kittens that she cherished as her own, or fostered and nurtured for others

At age 16 Roselie moved with her mother and brother to Springfield, Illinois.   As a young woman, she enjoyed dancing, and had a steady dance partner before the war. She met her future husband at the Illinois State Fair, recalling that he, as a somewhat sunburned redhead wearing the fair's orange work clothes, kind of stood out. As it turned out, he would become an outstanding Civil Engineer, enjoying a distinguished career with Shell Oil, after serving in the Army Corps of Engineers in WWII.  As a couple, like many of their generation, Roselie and Ben met and overcame tremendous challenges.  Always enterprising, when it was not possible to purchase tires due to rationing, Ben brought a new car, and Roselie drove it from Illinois to Camp Hood, where Ben was stationed initially, receiving directions from soldiers there which

included a low water creek crossing.

At times a school librarian, a secretarial assistant to a Louisiana State Senator and always an energetic homemaker and cook, Roselie lived a full life. A talented seamstress, Roselie turned out many clothes for her family, including the wedding dress for her daughter, with embroidery added by her own mother.

Roselie was a prolific correspondent, keeping a lifelong practice of writing to her family and friends, until her vision declined.  She kept up daily phone conversations with her brother Walter, learning how to speed dial, and voice dial even after she could no longer see the keypad on the phone.  The reading that she enjoyed became listening to audio books, and she could detail the characters and events in her favorite book chapter by chapter.

Roselie enjoyed an active life, traveling through much of the United States with her husband, including a trip to Alaska, ranging north of the Arctic Circle, and from Anchorage, a helicopter ride with Ben to the first offshore platform in the Cook Inlet, the design and construction of which he was supervising for Shell Oil Company.

Roselie and Ben lived in New Orleans, Southern California, Houston, and New Orleans again, before settling in Spring, Texas for 26 years, their longest stay in one place, and where they became active members of Northwoods Presbyterian Church. In retirement, Roselie was the indispensable support for "Ben-Ro" enterprises, by which Ben referred to his prolific volunteer efforts in support of his church, his friends, and his family with computer problem solving, and all manner of automotive, mechanical/electrical, and construction projects. As Roselie noted, there just wasn't anything that Ben could not fix. After his passing,

Roselie said of her neighbors in Spring, "They treated me like family."

The family acknowledges the dedicated and astute medical and dental care that Roselie received since moving to Dallas 8 years ago, which contributed substantially to a good and enjoyable quality of life, as well as her longevity.

A memorial service in celebration of Roselie's life will be held August 13 at 11:00 am, at Northwoods Presbyterian Church, 3320 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, Texas.