Rose M. Carrigan January 12, 1927 – April 30, 2019 Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card Rose M. Bushlow Carrigan Rose passed away peacefully on April 30th, 2019 Rose was born during a horrific snow storm on Jan. 12, 1927 in Somerville, MA to William (Bill) and Catherine MacCormack Hender. She grew up there and attended St. Ann’s Elementary School and graduated from St. Clement’s High School.
She graduated from the IBM School in Boston and worked at Cudahy Meat Packing Co. in their very new, exciting computer dept. (remember the zillion punch cards that we used back then? ) until her marriage in Oct.
1945, to Anthony (Tony) Bushlow and began a career as an AF wife. Actually it was the Army Air Corp until 1947 and the uniform was not blue. Rose did much traveling throughout the United States and Europe during those 20 years as an AF wife.
With each move, Rose created a safe haven for her family. The boxes marked “kitchen” were the first to be unpacked so that her family could continue to share meals at the dinner table. Rose was energetic and eager to join the service clubs with each new assignment and was an Officer in the NCO Wives Club at most bases.
She was an active volunteer in the schools, chapel and hospital. The family’s most memorable assignment was the 4 years at Aviano AFB in Northern Italy. They loved living in the large villa in the village of Porcia de Pordenone and made many lifelong Italian friends and enjoyed a wonderful life.
This opened the door to travel to many cities in Italy as well as trips to Trieste, Austria, Germany, (Greece and Turkey when Tony was TDY to those areas) and even a stop in Paris (long enough to see the sights, in the rain, and for the adults to go to the Follies Bergere) on the way back to the States. After being stationed at Holloman AFB in 1962, they decided to make their home in Alamogordo when her Tony retired from the AF in May 1965. She then took on a “real job” as Director of the Base Nursery (some may remember that old building) in June 1965.
This became a challenging career. Rose was Director of AF Early Childhood Development Programs for 28 years. She received numerous awards for excellence before retiring in 1993.
One of those years was spent at Anderson AFB, Guam and four at Kadena AFB, Okinawa with the remainder at Holloman AFB. She held the office of President for 2 years in MECA (Military Early Childhood Alliance) an affiliate of the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). As a result of her position she had an opportunity to attend workshops and conferences in many major cities and then enjoyed visiting and touring them and the extended areas; i.e. Washington D.C., Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver.
While her 7 terrific kids attended school, got good to excellent grades and participated in many of Alamogordo Tiger sports teams, cheerleaders, chorus, band and clubs, Rose and Tony followed them over the state, usually in a station wagon and later the infamous LTD, full of their young fans. Rose instilled an appreciation for education and learning and teaching them the value of family and respect for everyone, regardless of their station in life. They were also leaders in the Brownie, Cub Scouts, the Girls and Boys Scouts of America and St. Jude’s CCD Program.
She loved them all, well almost all, with the exception of the Girl Scout cookie chairman 2 years in a row. That was pure work! !
! She was a chartered member and active supporter of her church, St. Jude’s, since its founding in 1964, as well as being the last living member of the charter group of Altar Rosary Society which was started in 1966; she held many offices during those years. She, Ruth Sadowski and a few more of the old timers, with the support of the pastors, were instrumental in the start of many successful annual holiday bazaars that were sponsored by the ARS for many years.
This is now continued as a Parish function. Over the years Rose taught many grades in the CCD Program, especially the First Communion class, worked in the Bingo Kitchen and shared duties with the funeral meal committee as well as visiting the nursing homes and home-bound parishioners. She was also a lector and a Eucharistic minister.
After retiring at Holloman AFB, as Director of Child Development Services in 1993, she and her second husband, Sam (often with great grandbaby in her car seat) delivered Meals on Wheels at the Senior Center for many years; she was also a volunteer at CAPPED. She and Sam did much traveling to visit both the Carrigan and Bushlow families from east to west coast, as well as a few bus tours and numerous cruises until poor health brought it to a halt. Rose loved live plants and flowers and her family made sure she had them on a regular basis.
She had missed out on the proverbial “green thumb”, so she and Sam had to work hard for a pretty backyard. She was grateful for Otto Dusak in the later years for his service. She thanked God for desert landscaping and low maintenance plants.
Despite this love for flowers, she asked that those that who desired, that in lieu of flowers a donation could be made to St. Jude’s Renovation and Maintenance Fund in her memory. She married Sam Carrigan, a dear old friend on New Years Eve day 1994. They did much traveling and entertaining friends and family with much aplomb at their home for many years.
Rose had an exceptional talent for the culinary. She and Sam were an amazing team; she as a chef and he as a sous chef, or … was it the other way around? Many will recall their numerous annual Christmas Open House celebrations, when the sunny New Mexico weather always prevailed and her children provided all the backup.
Do you remember Sam’s 80th birthday party? Pride and concern for the future of her great grandchildren occupied much of her time during her last few years. Her love for reading escalated over the years, as she enjoyed a wide variety of both fiction and non-fiction books, news, magazines and finally had to admit she actually did like “the Kindle”.
Rose was a woman of grace and charm and really enjoyed life and those around her, always opening her heart and home to family and friends to enjoy life with her. Her first husband, Anthony (Tony) J. Bushlow, loving father of their 7 children, passed away in December 1990. Rose’s parents and 4 brothers, William, John, Thomas and Albert Hender and her sister Alice Tannian all preceded her in death.
Her second husband, Sam Carrigan, passed away June 2008. She leaves behind her 7 much loved children, Tony Bushlow (Char) of Monterey, CA; Linda Bushlow-Rico of Arlington, TX; Mark Bushlow (Beth) of Alamogordo; Cathy Barton (Ron) of Alamogordo; Christopher Bushlow (Deborah) of La Luz; Gloria Brown (Roy) of Georgia and Washington and Susan Bushlow of Alamogordo. Rose/Nana/Gradma leaves 14 wonderful grandchildren, David Bushlow (Cadie-deceased) of Monterey, CA; Kevin Rico of Arlington, TX; Kimberley Corp of Arlington, TX; Jonathan Rico of Ft.
Worth, TX; Taryn Bushlow of Little Elm, TX; Tiffany Pohlman (Pete) of Mansfield, TX; Troy Bushlow of Dallas, TX; Kelly Fisk (J.C.) of Puyallap, WA; Chad Brown US Marine Retired of Brooklet, GA; Nathan Barton (Shannon) of Santa Fe; Jennifer Barton of Las Cruces, Andrew Bushlow (Melanie) of Alamogordo; Amanda Bushlow of Las Cruces; Andrea Bushlow of Monterey, CA. Also “GrandNan” leaves her special 14 great grandchildren, Brittany and Megan Crouse, MacKenzie Jackson, Dillon Brown, Calvin Fisk, Madison Corp, Corbin and Emerson Rico, Sage Bushlow, Aedyn Bushlow, Tristin and Ty Bushlow, Hudson Barton and Ella Bushlow. Rose was a distinguished and determined woman who encouraged others, particularly her children and “grands” always to do their best and that life’s opportunities were limitless.
One of her favorite quotes from one of her favorite novels rings true today, “I pray your life will be as beautiful as the time you all gave me. When you feel a warm breeze unexpectedly cross your cheek, know that it is from the gate left open for you to the golden fields of God. There I once again will await the pleasures of your company”.
Her passing leaves a huge void in the lives of those who knew and loved her. Services entrusted to Alamogordo Funeral Home. Cremation has taken place.
Rosary service will be Saturday, May 4th, at 1215pm, St. Jude’s Church, prior to the Mass. Mass will be at 1pm following the Rosary.
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