Rosemary Renn Brasch

Rosemary Renn Brasch, age 79, of Second St., Bloomsburg, died on Thursday October 30, 2025 at Mountain View Nursing & Rehabilitation in Coal Township.

She was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945, near Asherton, in Lower Augusta Township, Northumberland County.

She graduated from Mahanoy Joint High School, now known as Line Mountain, in 1963, where she was active in theater, chorus, band, and basketball.

She continued in theater at Bloomsburg State College. She later earned a B.A. in Theatre and History from the University of the State of New York, and an M.S. in Labor Studies from the University of Massachusetts.

For ten years she was a secretary for Geisinger Medical Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Area Agency of Aging, and Bloomsburg University.

After receiving her B.A., she was a grievance officer for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (Local 1776), and continued privately assisting government employees. After receiving her M.S., she taught Labor Studies at the University of Massachusetts and Penn State/Hazleton.

For ten years, she was a Red Cross volunteer as a Family Service Specialist, working assignments in national disasters that included earthquakes, floods, and 9/11.

She was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, national honorary scholarship fraternity; and Beta Sigma Phi, national service sorority.

Brasch, a registered Republican, was a fierce liberal who fought for social justice and the rights for workers and disenfranchised. She and her husband were co-editors of the newsletter “Oasis 1” and “Oasis 2”, sponsored by the Red Cross for families of combat soldiers in the first Persian Gulf War, and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Roland and Mildred Renn, both of Sunbury; a sister, Ramona Renn Shadle, Selinsgrove; and a brother, Roger R. Renn, Georgia.

She was predeceased by her husband Walter M. Brasch in 2017, ending a 38-year marriage. Their union produced many shared social issues in which they assisted others.

She is survived by her two beloved sons, Jeffrey Gerber, Phoenix, AZ, and Matthew Gerber, Fernville, and several nieces and nephews.

Rosemary was the last surviving member of her Renn family.

Her love and gratitude—which will be eternal—include her neighbors and friends, both recent and from her youth.

Special love extended to her caregivers Danielle Zavitsky and Lauren Bennett—

“All caregivers should aspire to the highest level of care they always extended through their 5+ years spent with me.”

At the request of Rosemary, there will be no public services. She was an avid reader and enjoyed gardening. By her direction, ashes of her dogs Kashattan, Sherka, Sheba, Remy, Cabot, Rebar, Loki, Layla, and her pot-bellied pig Pig Floyd, will be mixed together with hers and spread in a garden to grow something beautiful.

Donations can be sent to PA Pets, Bloomsburg ARC, or Bloomsburg Animal Rescue.

Rosemary had the same New Year’s resolution every year:

“Let me be kinder next year, than I was this year.”

It’s the only resolution we need to help our divisions heal.

Peace and love to all.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Dean W. Kriner Inc. Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg.

Condolence messages and photographs may be posted at: www.krinerfuneralhomes.com