IN MEMORIAM

Amy Jane (MacGregor) Rose, 57,

Dies 3 Months After Cancer Found

BURLINGTON – Amy Jane (MacGregor) Rose, 57, an accomplished artist and eldercare professional, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, at Cooperstown Center, three months after her unexpected diagnosis of Stage IV brain cancer.

Amy was born in Huntington, L.I., on Oct. 13, 1963, to Margaret Winifred Kampf MacGregor. She was one of six brothers and sisters who grew up as free-range children roaming the woods and creeks of Hartwick. The only house rules were to look after those smaller than yourself – whether children or animal – and to be home for dinner before the streetlights flickered on. During these adventures, Amy developed her love of exploration, co-existence in harmony with nature, and an understanding of the value of cultivating close loving relationships with friends and family.

Amy spent many happy childhood summers on her brother Lance MacGregor’s dairy farm. Whenever she drove by a farm, she’d take a deep breath, reminding everyone around her that this was her favorite smell. Among Amy’s happiest memories was the tradition of doing Fourth of July barbecues out at the farm cabin, surrounded by family + friends.

Amy attended elementary school at the small schoolhouse in Hartwick, then graduated from Cooperstown High School in 1982. Amy was an accomplished artist since high school. Her artwork was displayed in many shows, and received occasional ribbons, prizes, and awards. Her final piece – an acrylic on canvas tribute to the beauty of aging gracefully, shows a serene gray-haired woman surrounded with houseplants, with a cat curled up in her lap. This piece remains unfinished upon her art desk.

Following graduation, Amy married her high school sweetheart, Daniel L. Rose. They had 38 loving years together which included two children, four grandchildren, two golden retrievers, a black Lab, canaries, guinea pig, rabbit, and many generations of cats.

Amy and Dan were enjoying renovating their home together at the time of her passing. Every evening, they sat together and re-watched their favorite classic films.

Amy worked in elder care for more than 25 years, first as an activities aide at the Oneonta Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Oneonta, where her children often joined her to volunteer. Later, she became the activities director at Focus Otsego. Amy’s life revolved around the responsibilities she took very seriously of bringing optimism, joy, peace and comfort to those within her care. Her residents were her first priority. She deeply valued her friendships with residents at each facility, and spoke of them often and fondly.

As an activities director, among the hundreds of birthday and holiday celebrations, folk music concerts, Celtic dance performances, art classes, and theatrical events orchestrated by Amy, were the Center’s farmers’ markets, annual springtime Easter egg hunts and petting zoo – popular public events which valuably integrated nursing home residents with outside community members. She also orchestrated and managed an amazing set design for a memorable Halloween theatrical performance of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and designed backdrop scenery for performances of “Cinderella” and “Oklahoma!” at Edmeston Central School.

Amy was honored to serve as a registered hospice volunteer, bringing peace and comfort to many of our community’s loved ones during their end-of-life care.
Amy was a runner and looked forward to 5K Pit Runs. Her favorite place to train was at the Hartwick Cemetery, near her old schoolhouse.
She loved flower gardening, taking photographs of old derelict farmhouses and barns, hiking and traveling. Among her favorite trips were biking in Toronto and hiking up the Overlook Trail with her niece, Samantha, visiting lighthouses in Maine with her husband and brother, Lance, and antiquing every summer at the Madison-Bouckville flea markets with her family. She loved antiquing and could spend an hour pouring over every table, inspecting every object for maker’s marks and chatting with the vendor about their magnificent historical objects. She loved supporting the SPCA thrift shop in Hyde Park. Memorial Day weekend yard sales were an anticipated event for Amy and her daughter, Amanda, who would plan out their route with maps and strategize for optimum treasure discovery potential.
Amy looked forward to the Harvest Festival at The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown every autumn, where it was a family tradition to watch the Hinman Hollow Dog Training agility trials, take an annual family photo with her brother, Patrick, (master interpreter of pharmacy and gardens), and then enjoy a piece of pecan pie while everyone argued over whether it was pronounced “PEE-can” or “puh-cahn.”
Amy was predeceased by her mother, Margaret Kampf MacGregor; sister, Kathy MacGregor; father-in-law, Robert Rose; twin Golden Retrievers, Emmitt and Cedar; many kitties; as well as countless friends and loved ones who she met through hospice and nursing facilities.
Amy leaves behind her husband of 38 years, Daniel L. Rose of Hartwick; daughter, Amanda (Danny) Pelletier; and grandchildren, Patrick and Margaret (Peggy) of Auburn; son, Christopher (Ryann) Rose of Vestal; grandchildren, Asher and Langston; niece, Katie (David) Selleck and their children, David and McKenna of Hartwick; nephew, Scott MacGregor; and brothers, Lance MacGregor (Claudia Basile) and Patrick MacGregor (Maribeth) and baby, Freyja; beloved niece, Samantha Phillips; and very close friends; Autumn, Stacy, Mona, Barb, Lori and Linda.
A celebration of Amy’s life will be planned and announced when COVID precautions allow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a loving donation in her name to the Susquehanna SPCA, Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans animal shelter, or Helios Care in Oneonta.
In accordance with her wishes, Amy will be cremated and laid to rest near her running path in Hartwick Cemetery.