Obituary of Rosemarie Wilde Haigler

In the early morning of Sunday, January 19, 2020, Rosemarie Wilde Haigler (8/6/1934) died peacefully, at Harris Regional Hospital, in Sylva, NC. Rosemarie was born and raised in Swain County. She was preceded in death by her mother, Laura Josephine Cooper Shuler, her father, Fred Wilde, her son, William Kenneth, and is survived by her husband of 65 years, Thomas J. (Tom) Haigler, her daughter, Traci Lowe (Tim), her grandsons, Jason and Erik, and a long list of cherished friends. Early in their marriage, Tom was enlisted in the Navy and Rosemarie loved being a Navy wife and young mother. She felt the Navy was their “ticket to the world” and she loved being stationed with Tom around the world. Rosemarie was driven and enjoyed the challenges provided by growing the motel and restaurant businesses she and her husband developed together in Swain County, after retiring from the Navy. She was crazy about her grandsons with whom she spent a lot of time while they were little, and she enjoyed watching them grow and become the wonderful young men they are today. Rosemarie’s life was also rich with the love of many animals not limited to her beloved dogs, most notably Berrie. She had many cats and birds, and enjoyed watching and feeding the hummingbirds, squirrels, and raccoons that roamed the mountainside of her home. Rosemarie was most happy, however, traveling with Tom and their dear friends, either up the east and west coasts into Maine and Canada, or somewhere warm near the beach, especially Mexico and the Gulf Coast. After Traci and Tim moved to St. Simons Island, Ga, Rosemarie enjoyed many trips to the island which provided opportunities to reminisce about her time having been stationed in Brunswick, while in the Navy. The Salvation Army was close to Rosemarie’s heart, therefore, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory. Celebration of life services will begin on Tuesday, January 21, 2020, with a visitation from 12:00-1:00 and a church service beginning at 1:00, at Bryson City United Methodist Church.