Our dearest Mutti, passed away unexpectedly at the Cowichan Hospital on July 8, 2015. Roswitha was born June 11, 1934, in Kassel, Germany to Doris (nee Von Nathusius) and Borwin Haevernick. She came to Duncan in 1957 to join her sister Oda and brother-in-law Horst Nowrath, and help them with their young family and growing business. Her sister introduced her to Rolf Denz, and they were married in 1958. That year they bought the house that she lived in to her last days.
Roswitha and Rolf had a beautiful garden and she cultivated a broad knowledge of local plants and birds. She loved nature and was a longtime member of the hiking club. Rose enjoyed local history and volunteered at the Cowichan Valley Museum. She was an avid reader and along with German literature, her favourites were The Natural History of BC, and the Canadian History Magazine. She believed in the art of letter writing.
Besides raising her family, Rose worked as a homemaker and was known for her gentle touch. Her family remembers her simple and delicious home cooked meals. She was an aficionado of art history and encouraged a love of the arts in all her progeny. She belonged to the Crofton Art Group and particularly enjoyed printmaking.
Roswitha’s greatest passion was music: she remembered her choir days fondly and regularly attended the symphony at the Cowichan Theatre. She also enjoyed going to the UBC Opera with her daughter Sylvia and, more recently, broadcasts of the Met. Her favourite composers were Mozart and Bach and she loved to hear her grandchildren play piano.
Roswitha enjoyed travel. She and Rolf travelled in Europe, New Zealand, and throughout BC and Canada. Most recently she went to Mexico with Sylvia. Though Roswitha was very practical, she was someone who moved in a world a few steps away from the mundane. She was known for her witty observations.
Rose is predeceased by daughter Doris (1967), brother Oskar (1998), husband Rolf (2011), and niece Cordula Vogt, (2012). She will be greatly missed by daughters Beate Denz(Joe Benge), Stefanie Denz (Lindsay MacQueen) and Sylvia Denz (Denis Bridger); grandchildren Eamon, Aulden, Frieda and Ella MacQueen-Denz, Thea and Maya Bridger Denz; sister Oda (Horst Nowrath) brother Konrad Haevernick, niece and god-daughter Gwen (Phil Mladenov), nephews Bernard Nowrath (Wendy), Borwin Haevernick (Brigitte Bagus), Roland Haevernick (Juliane Spatz) and Albrecht Haevernick. The funeral was held at Trinity Lutheran Church Duncan BC July 16.
In lieu of flowers make donations to the Duncan Basket Society, or Cowichan Estuary Centre http://www.cowichanestuary.ca.