Rosemary Shine Hargrove

Rosemary Shine Hargrove died peacefully in her home in St. George, Utah on November 7, 2023, after battling acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 74. She was surrounded by her husband, daughters, and sons-in-law, with all her granddaughters close by. Rosemary was grounded in her faith, which helped her face cancer and death with courage and grace.

Rosemary was born May 23, 1949 in Washington, DC to Thomas Paul Shine and Margaret Hofrichter Shine. She was the only daughter, growing up with her older brother Thomas and younger brother Michael. From a young age, she was interested in sewing and her natural creative instincts were evident. 

As a young woman, Rosemary was called to nursing and attended Mercy Hospital Nursing School before making the bold decision to continue her education at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1972. She was fulfilled in her career as a nurse, working at Johns Hopkins, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and Duke Hospital. She was proud of the ways in which she was able to serve those in need. She cared for her patients with empathy and compassion.

As a young adult, she met her future husband, Donn Hargrove, who she married in 1972. After living and working in Baltimore for a number of years, they decided they were ready to start a family and wanted to choose the perfect place. After traveling around the country to find that place, they chose Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which ended up being home for over 30 years.

In 1978, Rosemary gave birth to their first child, Emily Marie. Two years later, Rosemary and Donn welcomed their second daughter, Megan Colleen. At that time, Rosemary chose to be a full-time mom, leaving nursing behind. She loved raising her girls and being present for their day-to-day milestones. Being home also allowed her to explore her love of creating beautiful things with textiles again. Being a stay-at-home mom also allowed Rosemary the chance to spend time exploring her passion for sewing and fabric. She loved exploring how different types of natural fibers could enhance garments to create pieces that make the wearer feel beautiful and special.  

Rosemary’s creativity with fabric and textiles led her to identify a need in the Chapel Hill community for better tools and fabrics than were available at the time. This inspired her to open her own sewing and fabric store, The Cotton Boll Creative Sewing Center, which operated for over 22 years. The Cotton Boll was Rosemary’s pride and joy and a Chapel Hill gem. In addition to selling fabric and sewing machines, Rosemary also offered classes and repairs. She was driven by her love of sewing and her desire to share her joy with others. She taught students of all ages, including children who were involved with 4-H. Sewing was her passion and she wanted it to transform others as well. 

After Donn retired and she closed her store, Rosemary and Donn relocated once again. Chapel Hill was home but they knew they wanted a different adventure in retirement. They found themselves settling into stunning Southern Utah, which they have now called home since 2008. Their new life in the West included hiking, traveling, and exploring. Rosemary found her sewing home in St. George through quilting, most specifically art quilting. Rosemary was a true fiber artist, whose work was exhibited at local museums and adorns the homes of her loved ones. Her creative eye was a gift and her mind was always working on her next big project. 

Of all the things she did with her life, Rosemary’s most cherished role was her role as a grandma. She became a grandmother on her 62nd birthday, which she maintained was always the best birthday present she ever received. She gave her everything to her three granddaughters and did her best to spoil them with attention and love. Her granddaughters, Naomi, Fiona, and Emma, love her deeply. 

Rosemary was a devout Catholic, whose faith was central throughout her life. In the year or so before her death, she completed the Ignatian Exercises, which helped ground her even deeper in her spirituality. As she faced her diagnosis, her faith guided her and helped ease any fear she may have 
faced. 

The creation of this obituary provided a great opportunity for our family to laugh and reminisce about our beloved Rosemary.

A mass of remembrance will be held at the Saint George Catholic Church (259 West, 200 North, St. George, UT) on January 5th, 2024. The mass will begin at 11:00. A rosary prayer service will also be offered before the mass at 10:30. A reception will follow the mass at Kuzy Hall, directly next to the church. 

 In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial donations be made to one of the following organizations:

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
https://www.lls.org/

Switchpoint Community Resource Center
948 North 1300 West
St. George, UT 84770
https://switchpointcrc.org/

Click this link to view additional details about Rosemary's Services: https://my.gather.app/remember/rosemary-hargrove