Rose Mae (Gard) Lewis, age 84, passed away at her home in Hollansburg, Ohio on Friday October 23, 2026. Rose was snuggled in her Ohio State blanket, wearing fuzzy socks and surrounded by loved ones.
Rose was preceded in death by her parents Norval and Alta Mae (Fox) Gard; her siblings Harold James, Carolyn Musselman, James Gard, John Gard, and Patricia Batten; her son, Jeffrey Lewis; her grandchildren, Troy Lewis, and Tara Geyer; and her great-grandchildren, Aydyn York, and Tessa Lewis.
Rose is leaving behind the love of her life of nearly 66 years, Noah Lewis; her daughter, Mary Lewis (Plush) of Hollansburg; her son, Dirk (Liz) Lewis of Greenville; her 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a very special friend, Carmelisa Tuco Miles, who was adored by all of the family.
Rose was a tough woman, considering she survived polio, a train accident and a house fire all within her formative years. Not only was she tough, but she was also creative. Rose took an interest in sewing, which led to a beautiful and productive hobby. Along with gifting quilts, Rose started a tradition of embroidering a bath towel for every family member to receive on Christmas. Not only will we miss the personalized design she would choose each year, but in fondness we will also miss the laughter that came with her name misspellings, even though the tradition was decades long.
Rose will also be remembered for her love of porch sitting, wind chimes, butterflies, flowers and her passion for cutting the grass on her riding lawn mower… which she took pleasure in until the very end of her life. Rose loved to cheer on OSU football and UK basketball. Rose enjoyed collecting 50-cent pieces, card games, dominoes and playing games on her computer. This is where you’d most commonly find her… wrapped in a blanket, drinking coffee and sitting next to Noah, the love of her life… well, that may have actually been sweets.
Just kidding! However, we will certainly miss sharing dessert with her, along with her famous “Poorman Cookies.”
Most importantly, Rose loved decorating each room with photos and mementos of her friends and family. Rose’s home was a true reflection of how sentimental she was. Though she may have been the queen of sass and backhanded compliments, there was no mistake that she loved deeply and was deeply loved. We will cherish her memory as we continue to love and remember her in Heaven.
A celebration of Rose’s life will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at Tribute Funeral Homes, Greenville Campus, with Pastor Steve Wills officiating. Burial will follow in Hollansburg Cemetery.
Guests may visit with Rose’s family on Monday, October 26, 2026, from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be given to EverHeart Hospice, 1350 N. Broadway Street, Greenville, Ohio 45331.
Memories and online condolences may be shared with the family by visiting www.tributefuneralhomes.com
