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Rosemary Merckx
09/27/1928 — 08/23/2024
From Kennewick, WA | Born in Kansas City, Mo
Committal Service
Starts:
Sat, September 28, 2024, 11:00 am
Location:
Sunset Gardens
915 Bypass Highway, Richland, WA 99352
Website:
Visit Sunset Gardens
Rosemary Merckx
Rosemary Merckx, an accomplished painter and champion of the Tri-Cities art world, passed away at her home in Kennewick on August 23, just a month shy of her 96th birthday. Rosemary was born in Kansas City, MO in 1928 to George and Ruth Stone and grew up in the “back yard” of the Nelson Art Gallery. Whenever she could nab her brother’s bike, she loved spending time there and thus began her life-long dedication to the arts.
When Rosemary was 14, her family moved to Oak Ridge, TN where she organized neighborhood plays, graduated from high school and was devoted to the Episcopal church. She was a member of their first choir that included women. She began her college career at the University of Tennessee and continued her studies at the Kansas City Art Institute.
Rosemary moved to Richland in the late ‘40s to work at her father’s engineering firm. She enjoyed performing in the Richland Light Opera and participating in the ski club where she met a talented young engineer named Ken Merckx, who had great legs and loved to dance. They were married in 1954 and raised a family of four. They enjoyed entertaining and exploring the world together.
As her children grew older, Rosemary devoted herself to the local art community, including the Richland Players, Friends of the Library, Richland Community Concerts and the Arts Council. She also sang in the All Saints Episcopal choir.
However, it was painting and the Allied Arts Association that truly captivated her heart. Joining the group in 1958, she is one of their longest-serving members. She held every board position, including president, led the committee that received the WA State Governor’s Award and was one of the chief planners of the gallery addition in 1986. She also enjoyed showing her paintings across Washington state, at the sidewalk show, and the Allied Arts Gallery where she was the featured artist several times. In 1998, Rosemary won the Citizen in the Arts Award, presented by the Tri-City Corporate Council of the Arts.
Rosemary continued to paint until the very end of her life and also became an adept investor. She was preceded in death by her daughter Dianne Merckx, her son-in-law Brad Fisher, and her husband of 62 years Kenneth Merckx, who she often described as “the best thing that ever happened to me.” She is survived by her children Bruce Hoeger, Jennifer Fisher, Kenneth Merckx Jr. (Gretchen): grandchildren Kristen (Jameson) Adams; Zachary (Kelly), Quinci, Lindsey Fisher; Chelsea (Jesse) Goff; Mia Melton; Hunter, Hudson, and Haven Merckx; and 5 great-grandchildren. She was extremely proud of every one of them.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, September 28 at 3:00 pm at Brookdale Canyon Lakes. She made so many new friends there and adored the staff! She also enjoyed decorating the hallways with her art.
In lieu of flowers, please contribute to Allied Arts Association, CBC Foundation, or Tunnel to Towers. For online condolences, please visit sunsetgardenstricities.com
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Rosemary Merckx