Mary Rockwell Obituary
On February 07, 2023, Mary went to her Heavenly home, passing peacefully surrounded by family. Mary was born on October 09, 1950, in Loup City, NE to Hugo and Doris Zimmerman. Mary spent her childhood in Nebraska and went to the University of Nebraska, where she graduated in 1972. After graduation, Mary did a Dietetic Internship at St. Paul Ramsey Hospital in St. Paul, MN. After completing her Internship, Mary returned to Omaha, NE and began her career as a Dietician, at the Creighton University Family Practice Clinic.
Soon after, Mary went to work for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Omaha, serving as the Clinical Section Chief for Dietetics. On January 8, 1977, Mary married Randy Rockwell in Columbus, NE, living in Omaha, Randy and Mary had two children, Jessica, and Eric. The Rockwell's lived in Minneapolis MN, Jacksonville FL, Shreveport LA and Lubbock, TX. In each place Mary continued her career in Renal Dietetics, was very active in working with the National Kidney Foundation and National and Regional work for the American Dietetic Association.
She still found time to raise two children, and be active in School, Scouting and Sports activities. Mary loved her family and enjoyed participating in their lives as they grew up. On July 14, 2007, Mary was a proud mother when Eric married Alyse Lytle. On July 25, 2015, again, she was the proud mother of Jessica when she married Rodney Ball. Mary loved spending time with her children and their spouses, and those times became even more special when her three grandchildren were born. Mary and Randy enjoyed traveling with their RV and when Mary retired in October of 2015 those trips went from being gone for a weekend or vacation to traveling for weeks at a time.
Mary enjoyed these trips that enabled her to relax with a good book or her crossword puzzles. She enjoyed visiting historical sites, shopping, and sightseeing. In April of 2021. Mary was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia. Her condition deteriorated, and in January of 2022, Mary needed more care than her family were able to provide, and she left home to reside in a Care Facility. February of 2021, Mary was moved to a Memory Care Facility and placed on Hospice as her dementia rapidly progressed. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Hugo and Doris (Day) Zimmerman.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Randy. She is also survived by her daughter, Jessica (Rockwell) Ball, her husband Rodney, her son Eric Rockwell, his wife Alyse and their children Cooper, Casen, and Lucy; her sister Ann (Zimmerman) Nielsen, her brothers Bruce Zimmerman (Lesta) and Mark Zimmerman (Julie). Mary is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Mary lived a full life, touching many on her journey! She will be missed but will live in our hearts until we are joined again together in Heaven!
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Lubbock TX on Friday February 17, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Final commendation will take place at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Columbarium.
