Cover photo for Rosalie House's Obituary
Rosalie House Profile Photo
1933 Rosalie 2019

Rosalie House

May 23, 1933 — November 17, 2019

Rosalie Polkowski House, a fifty-year resident of Swarthmore, PA, passed away at her home on November 17, 2019 from cardiovascular heart disease. She was 86.

Born in Dickson City, PA to John and Salle Polkowski, she was the sixth of eleven children. She suffered from rheumatic fever as a child, which impacted her heart. Doctors predicted that she may not live past thirty and advised her never to go through childbirth. She proved them wrong on both counts. Throughout her life, she self-treated her chronic condition with a nutritious diet and exercise through gardening.

Rose graduated from Dickson City High School in 1951. She worked for five years as a medical laboratory administrator at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, east of Dayton, where she met her husband. She also became a coordinator for graduate programs at Penn State University,

Rose was married to Frederick Bishop House for 63 years. They lived in State College Pa, Dampierre sur Blevy France, Madison WI, Chelmsford MA, Boulder CO, Yorktown VA and Swarthmore, PA. They had four sons and one daughter. All of their children graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees from Drexel University.

She was a firm believer in helping gifted people who are unable to pay for higher education. Over twenty-five years she was an active member of P.E.O. lnternational and held every office in the AM Chapter.

Rose was an avid traveler, often taking family on her adventures. She visited all fifty states in the US and traveled extensively throughout Eastern and Western Europe including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, UK, Monaco, Poland, Baltic nations, Czech Republic, and Scandinavia. She also journeyed to Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil. She said you have to smell the air to get a feel for a place.

She perfected her skill in culinary arts starting with her time in France. Nutrition starts in the garden. Food can burst with flavor without adding a grain of salt. She specialized in a number of entrees that proudly showcased her Polish heritage. She found healthy alternatives to consuming processed foods and prescription medications

Rose is survived by her husband, Frederick; her children Matthew, Edward, Gregory and Mary, and the late Frederick Joseph; sixteen grandchildren; her dear sisters, Antoinette, Mary and Charlotte; and predeceased by seven siblings.

She was a long-time parishioner of Notre Dame de Lourdes and Saint Kevin's Catholic churches. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Marys Church 10:30 AM on Friday, December 6th in Dickson City PA, to be followed by a burial ceremony and reception afterwards. The family welcomes all to join in celebrating her life.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rosalie House, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Funeral Mass

Friday, December 6, 2019

Starts at 10:30 am

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Burial Ceremony

1090 Carmalt Street

, Dickson City, PA 18519

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