Rosemarie Estella (Krause) Chaney

Rosemarie E. Chaney, 87, of Massillon, entered into heaven Friday evening, April 12, 2019, following a brief illness.  Born June 11, 1931, in West Brookfield, the daughter of the late Edward and Emma (Young) Krause, Rosemarie attended Brookfield, Lorin Andrews and Washington High School.  She was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ and Myers United Church of Christ and the widow of the late Ronald E. Chaney.  She was employed for 17 years as a writer-columnist by the Massillon Independent and Canton Free Press.  A prolific writer and historian, Rosemarie sold many history-related articles and short stories to a variety of national magazines.  Her short story, “Orchids for Rosemary,” won first prize in fiction at the 32nd Midwestern Writers’ Conference in 2009.  She sold her first piece to Children’s Activities Magazine at the age of eight and was the 2nd place winner of the 1945 WHBC radio essay contest on movies.  Rosemarie was a life-long movie-goer and from age ten, wrote to many movie and other entertainment personalities, collecting through the years, over 500 autographed photos and letters from her favorite entertainers.  At 14, she obtained Elizabeth Taylor’s home address and they exchanged several letters.

Rosemarie had written several novels and has completed a six-part historical family saga, “Madelon,” using the history of Massillon from 1863 to 1945 as background.

Always a lover of animals, she has taken in and cared for dozens of homeless animals both wild and tame.  At the present, her only family is Billy and Dolly, felines whom she rescued nine years ago.

Rosemarie experienced more disappointments in life than most people but her religious faith and God-given brains always saw her through.  Her sense of humor brightened the days of many friends.  In keeping with her wishes, she was laid to rest privately and without ceremony, beside her husband at Brookfield Cemetery.

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