Rosmary (Janecky) Tireman

Rosmary (Janecky) Tireman, age 82, of Grand Chute, WI—formerly of Barron—put up the “Kitchen Closed” sign for good on June 25, 2025.

Born in Rice Lake on September 8, 1942, Rosmary graduated from Rice Lake High School and went on to earn her teaching certificate from Barron County Teachers College. She married the love of her life, Emil Tireman, in November 1961. They shared 59 memorable years before Emil’s passing. Early in their marriage, Rosmary and Emil lived in Colorado Springs while he served in the Army.

Back in Wisconsin, Rosmary became the behind-the-scenes engine of the family business, Circle T Refrigeration, serving as bookkeeper for many years. She also worked at the Rice Lake Chronotype, Rice Lake Weighing Systems, and later in life, drove a school bus for the Barron School District—treating her student riders like family.

Rosmary was most at home in the kitchen, happily baking treats for family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and kids on her bus route. She was a holiday cookie exchange regular and even won a baking contest for her famous Triple Fudge Chippers—a title she wore proudly (and her family tasted joyfully).

She loved writing letters—both warm and witty. But if you were a company delivering poor service or an inferior product, rest assured you’d get a sharply penned letter from Rosmary. She also regularly submitted letters to the editor. A fan-favorite? A poem about dodging springtime manure on rural roads (you’ll find it below).

Gardening and cardmaking brought Rosmary deep joy. Her green thumb wasn’t just for show—she grew flowers, vegetables, and fruits, and saw every harvest through from seed to table (or jar). She later joined the First United Methodist, Monona Cheney Circle, where she was a “Sunshine Person,” sending handmade cards to brighten the days of shut-ins and neighbors alike.

Animals always held a special place in her heart. In her earlier years, Rosmary trained and showed Arabian horses, participated in parades, and rode trails. She was active in the Indianhead Saddle Club and later served as a board member and volunteer for the Barron County Humane Society. In 2006, she became a founding member of PAWS, helping make pet spay/neuter services more accessible to those in need.

She is survived by her favorite son and daughter-in-law, Dustin and Sandra (Hoyer) Tireman; her favorite daughter and son-in-law, Brooke and Jeff Konopacki; her favorite granddaughter and fellow horse lover, Sierra Tireman; and her favorite grandson and cookie connoisseur, Dakota Tireman. She also leaves behind her sister, Emily Larsen, nephew and nieces, and her devoted companion and caretaker for four years, Megan—fondly known as her “Our Angel on this Earth.”

Rosmary was preceded in death by her loving husband, Emil, and her parents, Henry and Ann Janecky.

The family is deeply grateful for the support they’ve received on this journey. The compassionate teams at Silverstone Memory Care and Moments Hospice brought comfort, peace, and dignity to Rosmary’s final chapter—and to her family. There are far too many staff members to thank individually, so in true Rosmary fashion, we hope they enjoyed the sweet treats as a token of our appreciation. That said, a special nod goes to Rick “Twinkle Toes,” Amanda, Krystal, Sidney, and Kendra—your calm, kindness, and care touched us in extraordinary ways.

A shared celebration of life for Rosmary and Emil will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 154 Memorial Drive, Barron, on August 16th. Visitation will begin at 10 AM, with an 11 AM service to follow. A lunch reception will be held afterward—complete with card decks on hand to play 500 (Rosmary and Emil’s favorite) or any other game you'd like to shuffle into.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Rosmary’s love for animals by donating to PAWS (Attn: Michelle Hyllested/Treasurer, P.O. Box 293, Rice Lake, WI 54868) or by rescuing a pet from your local shelter—just don’t forget to spay or neuter it.

Road Fertilizer

by Rosmary Tireman

With spring around the corner and planting close at hand,

Thoughts turn to seed and fertilizer and tilling of the land.

Farmers are in a hurry to clean out barn and stall,

And spreaders are piled high to save an extra haul.

Now, fertilizer is expensive and needed for every crop,

So why is manure on the highway around which my car must hop?

So do us all a favor farmers, keep it on the load.

I’ve yet to see corn grow in the middle of the road.