Helen Roberta (Roth) Rosenberry

Helen Roberta (Roth) Rosenberry, age 92, passed away peacefully, in her home, on the evening of November 4 after a five-month battle with a colon tumor diagnosis.

She was born on January 1, 1928, in Canton, Ohio to Helen and Robert Roth. She grew up in the southwest area of Canton and graduated from Timken High school in 1945.

She married James (Jim) Rosenberry of Dover, who preceded her in death in November 2019. They raised their family on East Slingluff Avenue in Dover and later built their “dream” home together in Willow Glen, Dover, before moving to the North Star of Dover
community.

Helen and Jim celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary on May 22, 2019. Helen cared for Jim lovingly and unselfishly during the last two years of his life. He often said during that period of time, “It is only because of Helen that I am able to be here”

Helen was an exceptional wife and a loving mother. She cared deeply for her family,
friends, and neighbors. She was always the first to help. She loved to bake and would bring cookies, candy, pies, and cakes to the homes of friends and neighbors in their times of need.

Helen was deeply committed to a life in Christ. She was an active, long-standing member of the Grace Lutheran Church congregation in Dover. She participated in Bible study groups, church volunteer activities, and put her faith and trust in the Lord during the most difficult and joyful times of her life. Helen loved all of the holidays. Each grandchild felt her love, especially when she was often the first one up early holiday mornings, on the floor, and playing Santa or the Easter Bunny. She volunteered in the Share-A-Christmas program, loved fireworks on the 4th of July, and loved preparing an epic Thanksgiving dinner for her entire family. She exercised regularly throughout the years with her Jazzercise group and neighbors. She was a lifelong bridge player, and recently hosted an afternoon game this summer with North Star friends.

Helen was active for many years in the Dover Garden Club where she made many lasting friendships. Her love of gardening was always on display during the growing season at her North Star home, where she could be seen kneeling in the dirt, planting, weeding, and pruning. Helen was an extremely strong-willed woman with a fierce fighting spirit. Throughout her life, she steadfastly lived by her deeply held principles. When she received the devastating diagnosis in June that she had months to live, Helen felt at peace and stayed determined to make the best of the time she has left with her family and friends. There was no quit in Helen.

Helen’s family would like to recognize Anne Youmans and Norma Haglock. The friendship between Anne, Norma, and Helen has been lifelong and unparalleled. There are also many close friends, North Star neighbors, and Grace Lutheran members who consistently visited Helen and were by her side with support, prayers, kindness, food, and love during her recent illness. Helen was also blessed to have a care team that treated her with dignity, kindness, respect, love, comfort, and spiritual support.

Along with her parents and husband, Helen is preceded in death by her son, Richard,
and sister, Christine Kendig.

Helen is the beloved mother of her daughter Janet (Bret) Hart of Kensington, MD, and
son John (Kathy) Rosenberry of Columbus OH. She is survived by four grandchildren: Zachary (Caitlin) Hart and James (Clare) Hart of Kensington, MD; Katelyn (Kate) Baldridge of Canal Winchester, OH and Lauren (Santi) Casanova of Dublin, OH, and eight great-grandchildren: Adalyn, Samantha, and Darren Hart, James and Devin Hart, Jamison Baldridge, and Vicente and Nicholas Casanova.


Graveside services will take place on Wednesday, November 18th, at 11:00 am at the Dover Burial Park with Chaplain Terry Wilcox from Community Hospice and Interim Pastor Daniel Cammarn from Grace Lutheran Church officiating. The Toland-Herzig Funeral Home & Crematory in Dover are handling the arrangements. To sign an online guestbook for Helen, visit the obituary link on the funeral home’s website. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, masks are a government mandate.

Helen’s wishes were in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are made to the Community Hospice Truman House, 716 Commercial Ave SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 or Grace Lutheran Church, 216 N. Wooster Ave, Dover, Ohio 44622.