Roseann Cox Vertrees passed away in her home at Linus Oakes Retirement Community on Wednesday, February 8. Born in Rockford Illinois on June 11, 1919, the daughter of Joseph Rew Cox, and Flora Jackson Cox, she and her family moved to Oregon in 1934 following the retirement of her father. They settled in Glide for a year, then moved to Corvallis.

Roseann and her brother Joe Cox Jr., attended Oregon State College, where she was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority and earned the bachelors degree. She married J.D. Vertrees and moved to Portland where their children, Barbara and Daniel, were born.

From Portland they lived in Keno, Oregon, Adel, Klamath Falls, and finally moved to Roseburg in 1963. Roseann moved to Linus Oakes in 1993, upon the death of J.D.

In Roseburg, Roseann worked for the Douglas County Library as a cataloger. She subsequently worked at Eastwood School as a library volunteer. She led Mercy Hospice nursing home volunteers program for several years, and was recognized by them as a "Mercy Star."

Always wanting to learn and serve, she became a certified Braille transcriber after she was well into her 60s. She always wanted to transcribe the science books, and she learned about many new topics in the process.

She appreciated anyone with a "good attitude," and was fond of the saying: "The time to be happy is now; the place to be happy is here; the way to be happy is to make others happy."

Roseann is survived by her daughter, Barbara Ritchie and son, Daniel Vertrees; grandsons Brad Ritchie, of Atlanta, GA; Gregg Ritchie, of West Linn, OR; Jason Vertrees, of Mobile, AL; and four great grandchildren.

A Celebration of her life will be held in the community room at Linus Oakes on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, remembrance could be made to Mercy Hospice, 2700 Stewart Parkway, Roseburg, OR 97471.