Hoosier Lottery Beneficiary, Teachers’ Retirement Fund

Born and raised in Indiana, Rosie knew from the start that she loved children and wanted to dedicate her life to them. After deciding against being a pediatric nurse, Rosie went to college at Indiana State University and discovered her calling to be a teacher.

Rosie taught for 41 years, 39 with the Mill Creek School Corporation in Hendricks County and two in Terre Haute. She spent the most time teaching first grade, but also taught kindergarten and second grade.

Part of what made teaching such a wonderful experience for Rosie was her connection with the community and the parents. “I got to know my students and their families, and I truly believe the parents have to be involved for the kids to succeed,” Rosie said. “The parents I met were just wonderful. I believe the kids were successful because we all worked together, and the parents were on board with what was going on in the classroom. If we didn't agree on something, we worked it out. We were successful as a team.”

One of her classroom highlights was teaching kids how to read. “It was always so rewarding when they caught on,” she said. “They’d struggle, and then a light bulb would turn on and they’d get so excited. Seeing them feel the success of learning was a great reward for me.”

One of Rosie’s former students even wrote a children’s book and dedicated it to Rosie because she taught her how to read and write.

Outside the classroom, Rosie’s dedication to kids carried through into her family life. She and her husband Michael fostered newborn babies in their home for 15 years, keeping them until they were adopted.

Now, with two grown children of her own, and four grandchildren, Rosie gets her fill of kid time by attending her grandchildren’s gymnastics, band and sports activities. “Those are our babies now,” Rosie said. “We go to their extracurricular activities three or four times a week.”

After Rosie retired, she subbed for nine years in classes ranging from kindergarten through high school. “High school was a big transition, and I was scared to death,” Rosie said. “But I was pleasantly surprised by how respectful they were. They didn’t pull any shenanigans.”

Now, Rosie spends her free time volunteering at her church as a Eucharistic minister and helping during funeral lunches. She also volunteers with Family Promise, an organization that prepares meals for families in need. In addition, you can find her doing water aerobics and Silver Sneakers yoga and walking with her husband at the rec center.

The Hoosier Lottery would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Rosie and all the other teachers who make a huge difference in the lives of so many, each and every day.