Rosemary Lee Rekar

Rosemary Lee Rekar, 79, passed away on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was born on Sunday, July 28, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, as the oldest daughter of John Joseph Rekar and Norma Lee Baker. Due to her father’s Catholic heritage and her mother’s Latter-day Saint (LDS) heritage, Rosemary was christened at St. Barbara’s Catholic Church on 8 September 1946 and blessed on October 6, 1946, at the LDS University Ward in Chicago. She was later baptized at the University Ward on August 29, 1954. Throughout their childhood, Rosemary and her younger sister Diana often accompanied their parents on many of their world travels.

In Chicago, Rosemary graduated from Charles N. Holden Elementary School in 1960 and later graduated from Thomas Kelly High School in 1964. She then spent four years studying home economics at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, before leaving in 1968. She later returned and graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Composite Teaching). She used this degree at Albion Middle School in Sandy, Utah, where she worked as a science teacher for nearly 10 years (September 1989 – September 1998).

Rosemary married her first husband, Paul Roger Watkins (1944-2024), on March 1, 1969, in Imperial, California. They had two daughters together, Rebecca and Amy, before their divorce in 1972. Rosemary married her second husband, Garne Omer Healey (1938-2022), on April 21, 1977, at the Los Angeles California Temple; they had five children: Rachael, John, James, and twins, Nathan and Elizabeth. They divorced in 1999. Rosemary married her third husband, Myron Gerald Neuffer (1922-2019) on August 16, 2008, at the Salt Lake City Utah Temple; they resided together in Columbia, Missouri, until he passed away.

Rosemary called many places home throughout her life, including Provo, Utah; Phoenix, Arizona; Orem, Utah; San Diego, California; Silverdale, Washington; Salt Lake City, Utah; Columbia, Missouri; and Mooresville and Charlotte, North Carolina. Besides her time as a middle school teacher, she also spent 11 years as a circulation supervisor at Holladay Library in Utah until her retirement (June 1997 – August 2008). She had an avid love of genealogy and was very proud of her father’s Polish heritage and her mother’s colonial U.S. and Danish heritage. Her other hobbies included puzzles, making jewelry and ornaments, and cross-stitching. She even taught herself the piano and participated in theatre during the ‘90s. Rosemary was a devout member of the Church of the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many callings throughout her life, including many years as a seminary and gospel doctrine teacher.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, John Joseph Rekar (2006) and Norma Lee Baker (2022), her sole sister Diana (Duke) Carter (2022), and her beloved husband Myron Gerald Neuffer (2019). She is survived by her 7 children: Rebecca (Jeff) Chen, Amy (Derek) Cordon, Rachael Healey, John (Cassandra) Healey, James (Mandy) Healey, Nathan Healey, and Elizabeth Healey; 17 grandchildren: Aleah Chen, Danika Chen, Jensen (Consuelo) Cordon, Savanna (Julius) Connell, Taelor (Devan) Gwynn, Zane Cordon, Xander Cordon, Ella Cordon, Kaitlyn Wandel, McKenzie Wandel, Allison Healey, Claire Healey, Jackson Healey, Charlotte Healey, Devin Healey, Tanner Healey, and Jayden Healey; 4 great-grandchildren: Ephraim Connell, Elwynn Cordon, Oakland Connell, and Sage Connell; and her partner Glenn Dunham.

There will be no funeral. Cremation has taken place and her ashes will be buried with her late husband, Gerald Neuffer, in Preston, Idaho. A graveside service will be announced at a later date.