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Roseanne Beckman Wiedmann, retired teacher

April 26, 2011

Roseanne Beckman Wiedmann, 82, of Rehoboth Beach, passed away Saturday morning, April 23, 2011, in the company of her family.

Roseanne was born Jan. 28, 1929, to the late John Michael and Frances Kelly Beckman in Coudersport, Pa. She was valedictorian of her high school class of 1946. She received her bachelor’s degree in foreign language and education from Seton Hill College in Greensburg, Pa., in 1950 and her master's degree in French from the University of Southern California in Berkley, Calif.

In 1953, Roseanne moved to Lewes and began teaching languages at Lewes and Rehoboth high schools where she met her late husband of 55 years, Fred Wiedmann. She began teaching French at Caesar Rodney High School in 1963 and was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1988 by the Delaware Teachers of Foreign Languages.  Roseanne loved teaching and traveling.

She had great appreciation for the arts and literature, exposing all in her circles to the finer points of culture. She shepherded many outings to the theatre, operas, museums and other cultural venues. She led many educational trips to France for her students, fellow teachers and family. She retired from teaching in 1991 and served the community through mentoring, reading to local schoolchildren and tutoring adults in French.

Roseanne was the beloved matriarch of the family and loved, cared and supported all who were under her roof. She founded the Boardwalk Tastee Freez with her husband Fred and sister Roberta and her husband Richard Pioli, and the house was always filled with family and friends.

Roseanne was a devout Christian and active parishioner of St. Edmond’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach where she served as a Eucharistic minister, lector and longtime church choir member.

Roseanne was predeceased by her husband Fred; and her brother John M. Beckman II. She is survived by her five sons: Mark and wife Elizabeth of Wayne, Pa. with daughters Katherine, Sarah and Grace; Matthew and wife Karen of Rehoboth Beach with children Megan and husband Josh Henly and their children Joanna and Nathanial; Lauren, Ryan, Casey and Ashly with their son Mason; Luke and wife Suzanne of Lewes and children Traci, Andrew and Michael; John and wife Susanna of Pasadena Md. with children Stephanie, William, James and Matthew; and Peter and Ami of Dewey Beach and his sons Liam and Conor. She is also survived by her sister Roberta Jane Pioli, of Clearwater Beach Fla., originally of Bethesda Md.; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by the Rev. Raymond Forester at 1 p.m., Friday April 29, at St. Edmond’s Catholic Church, 409 King Charles Ave., Rehoboth Beach. There will be visitation prior to Mass beginning at 11 a.m. Friends and family are invited to a reception following Mass at the church hall. Interment will be private.  Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes.

In lieu of flowers please make donations in Roseanne’s name to the St. Edmond’s Church Choir.