Rose M. (Anteau) Churchill

Mrs. Rose M. (Anteau) Churchill, 84, of Lambertville, Michigan, passed away on August 30th, 2023, with her loving children and devoted brother at her side. Rose was born on May 5, 1939, in Toledo, Ohio, to James and Stella Anteau. She married her teenage sweetheart, Ken, in 1957. Not long after being married, “Kenny and Rosie” began fostering children through the Diocese of Toledo's Catholic Social Services. Over several years they fostered 35 children including a beloved child from Cuba. Rose’s only regret was that she never finished her high school education, so recently, she became a proud graduate of Scott High School. She was honored by the Toledo Public School District in July 2023 for her numerous and significant contributions to her local community. In 1981, Rose, a devout Catholic, believed the Toledo diocese needed more access to Catholic religious items. In 1982, with the support of Ken and all their financial savings, they opened Churchill's Religious Goods & Gifts on Tremainsville Rd. in West Toledo. The store celebrated 36 years of service to northwest Ohio and southeastern Michigan. They also owned the gift shop at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, Ohio. Rose, who ran the store by herself during the first year, enjoyed sharing her faith with their customers through the religious articles they sold. Rose had a special passion for ministry; she was the first female usher at St. Clement’s Church, she was a Eucharistic Minister, and she participated in many Catholic programs and retreats such as Marriage Encounter, Cursillo, and Renew. Rose’s devotion to Our Lady was evident by the frequent trips she made with Ken to the site of Our Lady's appearance in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. And her devotion to St. Theresa of Lisieux, known as the Little Flower, was so strong she named her first daughter Theresa. One of Rose’s greatest passions throughout her life was her deep love for animals. She was a ‘pet mama’ to countless dogs, cats, birds, raccoons, squirrels, and a variety of other animals who passed through her yard needing food, water, and a little of her sweet attention. The neediest of animals always found her, not the other way around. In addition to animals, Rose cherished the mountains. She and Ken traveled to multiple places throughout their 50 years of marriage, but the beautiful Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway in Tennessee always felt like their second home. Some of her happiest times was going to Pigeon Forge comedy shows and delighting in their southern hospitality. Reading was a hobby that inspired Rose - she loved uplifting stories of characters succeeding despite the odds. In the past few years, she was drawn to WWI novels both fictional and non-fictional. She found a joy in championing the heroines and relished the outcomes no matter what they were, sad or happy. Even though Rose considered herself a shy woman, she was stronger than she even gave herself credit for. Her daily motto was, “Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything.” Rose’s warm and giving heart, as well as her wonderful sense of humor, will be missed by her devoted family, friends, and her loyal feral cat, Ollie. Rose is survived by her children, Joseph Churchill, Theresa (Tex) Kadonaga, Kathryn (Chris) Jennings; grandchildren, Kimberly and Sage Churchill, Lydia, Joshua, and Lucas Jennings, Mollyrose and Finnegan Kadonaga, great-grandchildren, Jayla and Aria Churchill; and brother, Donald Anteau. Family and friends will be received on Friday, September 8th from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Ansberg West Funeral Home at 3000 W. Sylvania Avenue. Service and Rosary to begin at 7 p.m. A Catholic funeral mass will be held on Saturday, September 9th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Clement Church, 3030 Tremainsville Rd. Christian burial to follow at Resurrection Cemetery. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to pawsandwhiskers.org/donate. The family wishes to extend a thank you to the extraordinary doctors, nurses, and aides at ProMedica Toledo Hospital for their compassionate care of Rose and her family. Online condolences may be left at www.ansberg-west.com

Rose M. (Anteau) Churchill

May 5, 1939 - August 30, 2023