Rosalee Stonebreaker: The Matriarch of Mischief and Mercy
Rosalee Stonebreaker, age 77, of Lumberport, WV, took her final bow at the Hospice House of Savannah, GA on the evening May 22, 2024. The oldest of seven children, she became a nurse who served with unwavering dedication at the same nursing home for over 30 years; Rosalee was as much a fixture in the halls as the medical charts and the squeaky-wheeled carts. Born to bring laughter and light, Rosalee tackled life and single motherhood with a rare blend of sass and grace. She raised four children, teaching them the fine arts of empathy, resilience, and, most importantly, how to properly sneak treats to pets when they thought no one was looking.
Rosalee was born on January 24th, 1947 in Owings Hollow, WV to Jesse W. Baldwin & Dolly Baldwin Nicholson (nee: Bennett). She is survived by four children, Rachelle Dye (Michael) of Richmond Hill, GA, Rose Farlow (Remon) of Melbourne FL; Diana Casto of Richmond Hill, Ga; and Eddie Casto of Lumberport; her grandchildren, Corry, Andrew, and Sean Dye; Ryan, Bryon, and Richard Knight; Macailee, Falon, and Jon-Paul Koernig; and Sierra, Trey, and Austin Casto; as well as 14 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are her sisters, Shirley Cook (Wayne) of New Martinsville, WV; Judy Akers (Roy) of Enterprise, WV; Jill Williamson of Crestview Hill, KY; Susan Baldwin of Enterprise, WV, and her brother Robert “Bobby” Baldwin (Sandy) of Lumberport.
In addition to her parents, Rosalee was preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, Roger Stonebreaker; an infant son, James Matthew Casto; her Brother David Baldwin and two granddaughters, Kyrston and Tabatha Koernig.
Rosalee’s legendary sass, which could make even the saltiest sailors blush, was only matched by her immense compassion for her patients. She knew life’s challenges but faced them with a fierce heart and quick wit. Her legacy is not just in the smiles she crafted in nursing home corridors but also in the resilience and cheeky humor she instilled in her children.
As we bid farewell to Rosalee, let’s remember her not with sadness but with a smile—preferably one accompanied by a sneaky treat slipped to an unsuspecting dog under the dinner table. Her spirit—a blend of fierce independence, cheeky humor, and boundless kindness—lives on in her children and every life she touched.
The family will receive friends at Perine Funeral Home, 1348 S. Pike St. Shinnston, on Thursday May 30th from 2-8 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, May 31st at 11:00 AM with Pastor Tim Sandy officiating. Interment will follow at the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens in Quiet Dell.
The Perine Funeral Home is honored to serve the Stonebreaker family.