Ramona Roters

Ramona Marian Roters was born in 1916 to Arthur Cecil Morgan and Olga von Fleidner. She grew up on Long Island, New York. Ramona was seven when her mother died. Before departing, her mother instructed her that God would always be there for her. God has been her friend ever since. Dolls, putting on plays, violin, sledding and roller skating were her favorite childhood activities. Ramona went to Syracuse University in 1934 and graduated from the School of Fine Arts, as a painter. She attended the Art Student's League in New York City where she met and married artist Carl Roters in 1941. They went on to have three children: Tania, Carlene, and David.

Ramona worked various jobs to help support the family. She worked as an art educator, teaching portrait painting and drawing. She taught junior high art, and for three years became what the patients called a "Play Lady," at The Syracuse Memorial Hospital Children's Ward. Ramona was a smart dresser, which led to her job as a special buyer and sales person at Flahs and Addis Department Stores in Syracuse, NY. She went on to get her master's degree in Library Science, and was the slide curator at Syracuse University's Art Slide Library for 20 years, until her retirement in 1978.

When she retired she came out to Jackson, Wyoming, to join Carl, who had painted the Jackson Lake Lodge Rendezvous Murals in 1959, and whose archives are now at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Ramona learned to drive when she arrived in Jackson and that opened a whole new world for her: photographing and painting the landscape and wildlife. Ramona and Carl hiked and painted all over the valley until Carl died in 1989.

Upon arriving in Jackson, Ramona joined St John's Episcopal Church, where she became a Daughter of the King, Lay Chaplin, and she started regular, varied denominational church services at the St John's Living Center. She volunteered there for 28 years, organizing religious services and music on Sundays, and assisting at the tea parties each Wednesday. Ramona was very interested in helping young people as well. She had friends of all ages.

Ramona became very active in the Jackson Hole Senior Center and loved many of the activities offered there. Line Dancing, Mahjong and Bible Study were favorites. The Senior Center bus, meals and the wonderful services the Center offers allowed her to remain independent until she was 96.

Ramona went to live at the St John's Living Center July 2012. She was legally blind, but after volunteering there 28 years she knew the layout and staff well. She always said if she could not take care of herself she wanted to live there. Ramona enjoyed participating in the wonderful assortment of activities The Living Center offers. The weekly visits from the staff Tiny Tots', a good massage in the Music and Massage sessions, Sunday church and trips to the Lodge and to the Senior Center for lunch, made life full. Ramona enjoyed news, current events and politics. She was thrilled to see a black president in office and would have been even happier to see a woman running the country. "Praise The Lord " accented most of her statements with good reason. To quote her: "I have enjoyed it all" and she did. She tried to participate in her daily routine and activities until the day she joined her maker, on May 23, 2014.

Ramona has art in both the Jackson Hole Senior Center and in The St John's Living Center, as well as many personal collections.

Ramona was preceded in death by her daughter, Tania Roters, and her husband, Carl Roters. She is survived by her son, David Roters, her daughter, Carlene Roters, her grandsons, Craig Morgan Roters and Josef Roters, and their wives and beautiful families.

On Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 11:00, there will be a memorial service at the First Baptist Church, 90 W Kelly Ave, in Jackson. The service will be followed by a celebratory lunch in the Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, Ramona would best be remembered by memorial gifts to the Senior Center of Jackson.

Condolences can be sent to the family at valleymortuaryjackson.com