Cooley
Osceola
Rosemary Hunt Cooley, age 82 of Osceola, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Born on March 23,1945, to Lola (Cochran) Hunt and Robert (Leland) Hunt, Rosemary lived a life rooted in faith, family and service.
Rosemary was a proud graduate of Clarke Community High School in 1962. She worked in Omaha, Nebraska, prior to marriage and starting a family. Rosemary worked in the Clarke Community School District for several years as a teacher’s aide, administrative assistant and as support personnel for students with disabilities.
On Dec. 3, 1966, Rosemary married the love of her life, Jack Cooley. Their journey together was marked by resilience and joy. In a beautiful twist of fate, the same week they were approved for adoption, Rosemary discovered she was pregnant. They welcomed their daughter, Jenifer Julie, on Nov. 16, 1972, followed by twin sons, Joseph Leland and James Calvin, on Jan. 21, 1974.
She will be remembered for: her commitment to her children, never missing a ball game or track meet; her love of celebrating life events such as birthdays and holidays; her love of taking in stray cats, kids and anyone else who needed help; her enthusiastic support of her grandchildren, cheering from the front row at every event; her love of cooking making meals large and small for family and friends and her love of gardening.
Her sweet and generous spirit touched everyone who knew her. Though she will be deeply missed, her family finds comfort in knowing she is now safe in the arms of Jesus, walking streets of gold and free from pain.
Rosemary is survived by daughter Jenifer Opie of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; sons, Joe (Jeannette) Cooley of Ellston and Jim (Marcy) Cooley of Osceola; grandchildren: Carter (Austin) Tulle of Lucas, Bailey (Raechel) Ogbourne of Norwalk, Miranda Ogbourne of Des Moines, Sam (Megan) Cooley of Norwalk, Jack Cooley of Ames, Jillian Opie of Lawrence, Kansas, and Marin Opie of Lee’s Summit; great-grandson Trilyn Tulle of Lucas; nieces: Christy (Fred) Calvin of Creston, Nicki (Joyce) Saylor of Washington, D.C., and Sarah (Todd) Middleton of Shawnee, Kansas, and nephew Chris (Karen) Redman of Orlando, Florida.
Rosemary was preceded in death by her husband Jack, her parents Leland and Lola Hunt; sister-in-law Connie (Lloyd) Saylor Johnson; in-laws Robert and Helen Cooley, brother-in-law Dave Redman and sister-in-law Jane Redman.
Services will be held at Kale Funeral Home - Osceola, Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. with Pastor Chuck DeVos officiating with interment in the Maple Hill Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at Kale Funeral Home.
