Rosemary (Jenkins) Raridon

YOUNGSOTWN - Former YSU voice instructor Rosemary Raridon, 89, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 2, at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown from complications following a fall.  She was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, on November 9, 1934, to Charles and Ruth (Arrasmith) Jenkins. The youngest of three children, she grew up in the rural town of Ainsworth, Iowa, and graduated with her class there in 1952.

Rosemary loved music from a very young age, beginning tap dance lessons at age three and violin lessons at seven. She played the drums and French horn in the high school band, but it was singing that was her true passion and as her beautiful soprano voice matured, she started to dream of becoming a professional opera singer. Rosemary began her classical training with Professor Herald “Prof” Stark when she was a senior in high school and continued her studies with him as a freshman at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

In 1953, Rosemary met and fell in love with fellow voice student, Wade Raridon, and they were married in 1954. A year later she put her education and dreams on hold to become a stay-at-home mother to their first child. Two more children soon followed, and when Wade was offered a teaching position at Youngstown State University in 1963, they moved their family to a home on the city’s west side where they resided until 2013.

Rosemary resumed the successful pursuit of her bachelor’s degree at the University of Iowa in 1969 during Wade’s two-year sabbatical from YSU. After they returned to Youngstown in 1971, she joined her husband on the faculty of the Dana School of Music as an assistant professor of voice. During her time at YSU she was listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 1996, and 2003-2005. She performed many voice recitals alongside her husband during the time they were staff members. Upon their joint retirement in 2004, Rosemary and Wade received The Dana Award recognizing their many years of exemplary service to the school. She also taught private voice lessons at her home, which she continued to do until 2019.

Rosemary was an avid fan of St. Louis Cardinals baseball and the Cleveland Cavaliers. She and Wade enjoyed cheering for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes basketball and football teams, and they made several trips back to Iowa City to see the football team play. They were thrilled to be able to travel to Pasadena, California, in 1991 when the Hawkeyes appeared in the Rose Bowl.

An excellent cook, Rosemary’s family always looked forward to enjoying her amazing homemade pies, caramel pecan rolls, and the delicious lasagna she made every Christmas. Friends were often gifted with her special German stollen during the holidays, and her famous baked beans were a mainstay at every family summer gathering. She was a gracious and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be missed immensely by all.

Rosemary is survived by her daughter, Geri Socciarelli and son-in-law, Michael of Streetsboro, Ohio, and son, Timothy Raridon (Linda Scharf) of Girard, Ohio; grandchildren, Anthony Socciarelli (Laura) of Tampa, Florida, Christi Nicula (Michael) of Cortland, Ohio, Edward Socciarelli (Holly) of Sarver, Pennsylvania, and Andrew Raridon (Sarah) of Valparaiso, Indiana; four great-granddaughters, Vada Socciarelli, Ruth Raridon, Riley Nicula, and Wren Raridon; one great-grandson, Arlo Raridon; sisters-in-law, Pat Jenkins, of Washington, Iowa and Nancy Raridon of Omaha, Nebraska; many cousins, nieces and nephews; and special family friend. Denise Smith of Ravenna, Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wade; son, Atty. Michael Raridon; brothers, Kermit Jenkins and Quentin Jenkins; parents-in-law, Dallas and Guy Raridon; brothers-in-law, Delbert “Dobie” Raridon, Donald “Skip” Raridon, and Anton Mueller; sisters-in-law, Barbara Mueller, Judith Raridon, and Dorothy Jenkins.

Friends and family will gather at Kubina Yuhasz Wasko Funeral Home, 5925 Market St. in Boardman, Ohio, on Wednesday, October 9, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. There will be no service. Following cremation Rosemary will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband at the Oregon Township Cemetery in Ainsworth, Iowa, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, material tributes in honor of Rosemary may be made to the Herald Stark Opera Scholarship Fund, c/o the University of Iowa; or to the Alzheimer’s Association. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the many dedicated medical professionals who have cared for Rosemary during her illness: Dr. Thomas Traikoff, Dr. Nathan Devore, the staff at Park Vista Assisted Living, the staff at Poland Village Assisted Living, friend and caretaker Linda Duval, Visiting Angels of Ravenna, and the doctors and nurses in the ICU and Ortho Care units at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown.

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