Rose Marie Bertrand
Rose Marie Bertrand with granddaughter Marie
March 20, 1943 — July 9, 2015
MADISON, WI — Rose Marie Leona Wnek Bertrand, age 72, of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away on July 9th, 2015.
Rose Marie was born on the south side of Chicago, to Bernice (Zajac) Wnek Miller and Joseph Wnek on March 20, 1943. Rose Marie attended St. Roman’s grammar school, Our Lady of Good Counsel grammar school and Visitation High School in Chicago and moved to Madison at age 17 to attend Edgewood College. Rose Marie attended UW-Madison for graduate school, where she met the love of her life, Michael Bertrand. Rose Marie and Michael married at St. Paul’s University Catholic Center in Madison on August 29th, 1970.
Rose Marie on her wedding day, August 29, 1970. Click image to enlarge.
Rose Marie graduated from Edgewood in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Minor in Chemistry. During graduate school at UW-Madison, Rose Marie studied Zoology and the History of Science. After having her first daughter, Lydia, in 1977, Rose Marie became involved in the Cesarean Prevention Movement and started a local chapter of what is now called International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN). Rose Marie became a birth doula in 1978, which was the beginning of a lifelong passion for providing birth assistance. Rose Marie was a charter member of Doulas of South Central Wisconsin, and the co-founder and director of Small Miracles Volunteer Doula Program. As Rose Marie said, being a doula was not a job for her, rather it was a joy. Rose Marie attended 309 births as a doula.
In addition to being a powerful force of birth advocacy in action, Rose Marie was a proud liberal, feminist, environmentalist, vegan, and social justice activist.
In 2006, Rose Marie received a Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions to the students of Affiliated Alternatives through the Madison Metropolitan School District. In 2008, Rose Marie was nominated for the Our Bodies, Ourselves Women's Health Hero Award. In 2009, Rose Marie received the Healthcare Award from the Madison Breastfeeding Promotion Network. In 2012, Rose Marie was a recipient of the Jefferson Award for her work with Small Miracles.
The bride and some other person
Rose Marie is survived by her beloved husband, Michael; her two daughters, Lydia, of Mission, TX and Eve, of Madison, WI; Lydia’s husband, Mike, and Rose Marie’s three grandchildren, Parzival, Violet and Marie, of Mission, TX. Rose Marie is also survived by her two older sisters, Barbara Read and Phyllis Ficht, of Clearwater, FL.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the Goodman Community Center on Sunday, August 2nd, at 2pm.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Small Miracles Volunteer Doula Program (contact corrinamueller@yahoo.com for details).
Meeting Rose Marie
I came to Madison in the summer of 1969 for graduate school (Math), attracted by a good department, a teaching assistantship, and sure knowledge of a waiting activist community. The first semester was hard academically. There were many new friends though and promise of a new life.
Rose Marie, Lydia, and Mike, 1978
The Teaching Assistants Association (TAA) looked interesting, a fusion of standard trade unionism with the new left politics swirling around college campuses at that time, including and especially anti-Vietnam War activism.
The TAA threw a party one Saturday that winter at the Stone Hearth Coop just off Langdon Street, it was January 31, 1970. I decided to go and before long noticed Dennis, another math student and TAA friend, talking to two young women. When I went over, he introduced me to Rose Marie and her friend Judy, whom he'd met at one of the legendary parties Rose Marie and her roommates gave at their house on Monroe Street.
Dennis wandered off after a bit, but I didn't. We talked and talked. She was from the south side of Chicago (working class), I from the near north side (lower middle class), each the product of Catholic schools, no longer believers but respectful then as now of that great tradition and our many devoted teachers. She was wearing a dress and had nice legs, what a beauty. I picked up a little kitten stumbling around and caressed it as we talked.
Rose Marie and Eve ~2005
She was so like all the Catholic girls I'd grown up with, but different too and we're not kids any more. We were of one mind and agreed almost casually on all fundamentals (religion, Vietnam, unions, science, reading). She was kind, funny, and beautiful in an earthy and abiding way. I was smitten instantly, love at first sight, but didn't want to overplay my hand and barely got her name, didn't get her number, what a fool!
So I call Dennis the next morning to ask. He didn't know her number, but remembered where she lived, 1621 Monroe Street. I went out and bought a newspaper to get the movie ads, tucked them away, and set out for her house a few blocks away when the time was decent.
She looked a little surprised at the door but invited me in, Judy was there. After some small talk, I asked if she wanted to see a movie. We don't know what's playing, says she. At which point I whip out the ads. How about The Reivers at the Orpheum? That went well and so it has ever since. I still have that ad.
Mike Bertrand
June 29, 2015