Ridgeway, MO: Rosezetta Alice (Wax) Bender, 89, Ridgeway, MO passed away Monday, June 13, 2020 at a Grant City, MO nursing home.
She was born on June 16, 1931 in Silver Lake, Kansas the daughter of Malvin Clarence and Elma Marie (Snyder) Wax. She lived in this area until 1939 at which time she moved to Ozawkie Kansas. She made her home with John and Carrie Kinneth from the age of four to adulthood. She attended Pleasant Valley School and graduated from Ozawkie Rural High School. She played basketball and was on the championship team that never lost a game for 3 years straight. While helping to achieve this goal, her appendix ruptured and she missed one year of school but carried enough credits the next year to graduate with her class as this was very important to her.
After graduation, she worked for Hallmark Greeting Card Company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the State of Kansas and Forbes Air Force Base where she received her Federal IBM Rating. She quit her job to go home and take care of Carrie Kinneth who was dying of lung cancer.
Rosezetta and Roy E. Bender were married March 1, 1952 at the Evangelical United Brethren Church at Ozawkie, Kansas. They lived on the farm of Carrie’s until 1958 when they moved to a farm south of Gilman City, MO.
Rosezetta was in a very serious car accident and she spent 6 ½ months in the hospital and then was sent home, never to walk again but three years later achieve her goal to walk.
In 1965, the Benders moved to a farm east of Ridgeway where they raised their four children: Fran, Kathy, Roy, and Earl Bender, all of whom graduated from Ridgeway High School. Roy and Rosezetta moved to Ridgeway in 1982 where they purchased the Texaco Station and ran it together until Roy passed away in 1985. Rosezetta continued to run the station on her own for a few years after that. After closing the station, Rosezetta worked for the Green Thumb Program working in the libraries of South Harrison and North Harrison Schools.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Lynda Gale Bender; granddaughters, Leah Richardson and Tracey Crossley; daughter-in-law, Nancy Bender; sisters, Joan Heidemrich and Marie Anderson; brother, Malvin Burton Wax, and brother-in-law, Dean Bender.
Rosezetta is survived by her special friend, Lawrence Marsh of the home; daughters, Fran Bender (Gary) Eagleville, MO, Kathy (Ron) Richardson, Eagleville, MO; sons, Roy M. Bender, Harveyville, KS, Earl Dean Bender (Diann) Ridgeway, MO; sisters, Jeanette Walker, Fresno, CA, Ione (Don) Lesh, Roseville, CA, Ann Tharp, Symara Beach, FL; brother-in-law, Don Bender; sisters-in-law, Frances Woody and Peggy Price; grandchildren, Kevin Milligan, Eric Milligan, Justin Richardson, Bryan Bender, Tommy Bender, Steven Bender, Gary Bender and Gina Mossburg, Jenny Chapman, Jared Cunningham and Justin Cunningham and numerous great grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, July 16 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery, Ridgeway, MO. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home where social distancing and masks are recommended. Memorials may be made to Rose Hill Cemetery in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com