Rosie Smith

Rosie Irene Smith, daughter of Ruben Orville Gibbens and Esther (Fielder) Gibbens was born March 15, 1936 in Decatur County, Iowa and passed from this life Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at Clarke County Hospital at eighty-five years of age.

Rosie received her education beginning in Decatur County and later in Clarke County where she graduated from Osceola High School.

She was united in marriage to Joe Milton McVey. Joe passed away seven months before their two boys John and Joe Jr. were born. Sadly, Joe Jr. passed away shortly after the boys birth. Rosie later married John Franklin Smith at the United Methodist Church in Osceola.

Rosie just liked people. She worked for over sixty years in the restaurant and bar industry. An excerpt from Mickey Thomas’ Tales from the Aisles article about Rosie says that she is probably Osceola’s most experienced waitress/bartender. She began serving patrons in 1951 while a student in high school and continued her career working at the Club Cafe, Highway House, Paramount Cafe, Puritan Cafe, Uptown Cafe and the Whiteway Cafe. In addition to her experience in the restaurant business, Rosie became a well known bartender. She owned and operated the Village Lounge in Leon for a number of years, worked at Lee’s Bar the Westside Tavern, Big Chief Lounge, Plain Janes, Lakeside Casino Resort, Crossroads, and the Eagles Lodge in Osceola.

Rosie also loved family time and her happiest moments were when she had a house full of people surrounding her while she cooked. She also had a great love of music.

Those relatives who preceded Rosie in death were her parents, Ruben and Esther; first husband, Joe Milton McVey; son, Joseph Milton McVey, Jr shortly after birth, second husband, John Franklin Smith; sister, Marie Coleman; brother, Robert “Ben” Gibbens; step-daughter, Linda Hinds; daughter-in-law, Lynda McVey and a grandson, Steven Halvorson.

Rosie leaves to cherish her memory; son, John McVey of Atlantic, IA; step-daughter, Karin (Jerry) McBroom of Indianola, IA; step-daughter, Lynn (Mark) Kilgore of IA; step-daughter, Diane Smith of FL; step-son, Kevin Smith of Des Moines, IA; brother, Ronald (Helma) Gibbens of Delta Junction, AK; grandchildren, Nicole Vought, Lynn Zimmerman, Christopher McVey, Joshua Malsick and twelve great-grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews other relatives and many many friends.

Services will be held at Kale Funeral Home, Monday April 26, 2021 at 11:00 am with Amy Johnson officiating.

The family will greet friends from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm Sunday, April 25, 2021 at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola.

The funeral home asks that anyone in attendance at the visitation or funeral service please follow social distancing guidelines. The use of face coverings at either event are REQUIRED. If you are unable to attend the service in person, a live stream will be available at www.kalefuneralhome.com on Rosie’s tribute wall beginning at 11:00 am, Monday.

Interment will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery

Memorial contributions may be directed to her family for a fitting tribute to be decided later.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.kalefuneralhome.com