Rosemary Joy Lamp, daughter of Carl and Esther (Schoenbeck) Witter, was born on October 27, 1931, in Dubuque, Iowa. She met C O Lamp, a recent pharmacy graduate from Drake University, while clerking at Hartig's drug store her senior year of high school. They were soul mates and were married after her high school graduation on July 25, 1950. In 1955, Rosemary and C O moved with their two children, Toni and Lea, to Decorah, Iowa, as C O was a co-owner of Darling Drug Store. Later, in 1956, Calvin was born. Rosemary was active in the community, led Brownie and Girl Scout troops, taught Sunday school for many years at the Congregational Church in Decorah.

She attended Luther College and graduated Cum Laude in Elementary Education in May 1965. They moved the family to Des Moines, Iowa, where she taught and began work on her Master's Degree at Drake University. C O was also attending law school there. They often joked the whole family was a troop of students. Both graduated on the same date from Drake University in 1968. Rosemary received her Master's Degree in Elementary Counseling.

They moved the family to Arizona during the hot summer month of June in 1968. Rosemary first worked at Sierra Vista in the Roosevelt School District Elementary Counselor. Later, she taught first grade from 1973 through 1989 in the Peoria School District at Central and Desert Palms Elementary School. Rosemary felt teaching first graders was her calling in life and was recognized for her devoted and outstanding service at her retirement dinner.

Rosemary loved music and enjoyed attending concerts. She played the violin and also a baritone in her high school marching band. She made friends easily, loved flower gardening, and was an avid reader of many authors. She did lots of canning from the produce in C O's garden and was an accomplished pie baker. She grew up on the Mississippi River in Dubuque and loved boating and swimming. They continued their joy of boating and picnicking out at Lake Pleasant in Arizona for many years. They traveled during the summers visiting all continents except Antarctica. Their trips to Alaska were a highlight, as they researched and investigated her grandfather, Robert Schoenbeck's gold rush exploits. Later, C O wrote a novel about him, called "Distant Love, Lasting Love." She was active in church and served on various committees at The Congregational Church of Sun City.

Rosemary is survived by her three children: Toni and husband Mark Henegesteg of Montgomery, Texas, Lea Jane Lamp of Glendale, Arizona, and Calvin Lamp of Sun City, Arizona; three grandchildren: Nathan Lamp of Phoenix, Arizona, David Hengesteg and wife Heather along with great-grandson Ben of Houston, Texas and Kathryn Hengesteg of Seattle, Washington; brother Carl Witter of Asbury, Iowa; sisters Marilyn Grashorn of Dubuque, Iowa and Dorothy Herzog of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and many nephews and nieces and dear cousins.