- Emily Covert Roscoe, 96, passed peacefully from this earth as twilight fell on the warm summer evening of Aug. 7, 2014.
Emily Jane Covert ("Emmy Jane" or "Em Jane") was born to Judson H. Covert and Kathryn Murr Covert on July 1, 1918, in Billings. She was later joined by her red-haired brother, John, and the two of them were raised on a farm located at the intersection of 24th Street West and Central Avenue. She attended school in Billings, rode her horse to the then-new South Park swimming pool in the summers and made friendships that lasted a lifetime. She attended Billings High School, where she made many more friendships and first met her husband-to-be, Bill. Emily then entered nursing school at the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Ore., graduating as an R.N. in 1941. She worked briefly as an R.N. at Good Samaritan in Portland, and then Deaconess Hospital (now Billings Clinic).
As WWII began, she made plans to serve her country and fill a crucial need by working aboard hospital ships returning home full of wounded servicemen. However, that plan was interrupted by a proposal of marriage and an invitation to follow Bill to Yukon, Okla., where he had enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a flight instructor. Em married her high school sweetheart, William P. Roscoe Jr., on May 23, 1942, in Yukon. The ceremony was briefly interrupted when Bill's fellow flight instructors "buzzed" the church as the vows were exchanged. Their marriage lasted 56 years, until Bill's passing in 1998. Em never remarried or even considered it, remaining loyal to her husband to the very end.
From 1943 to 1946, Em and Bill lived in Lima, Peru, while Bill worked for Pan-American Grace Airways. As Americans abroad, they quickly identified with other ex-pats. While the men flew planes, the wives drew close for companionship and child rearing. Again, Em added to her long list of lifetime friendships, and she really enjoyed staying in touch and occasionally reuniting with her "FFG" (Funny Farm Gang.)
In 1946, Em and Bill returned to Billings where they added to and raised their family. Emily was a charter member of Holy Rosary Church, and later, a longtime member of St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral. She volunteered her clerical skills to Holy Rosary Grade School, while her children attended there and also was a Cub Scout Den Mother. She loved to dance, enjoyed a wide variety of music, could pull off some really wicked April Fools' Day jokes and cherished the years she and her husband enjoyed at the family cabin on the Stillwater River.
But first, last and always, she enjoyed being a mother. Being her child was not required of anyone needing her motherly love. She eagerly embraced all additions to her ever-growing family circle and could be counted on for guidance, comfort and unconditional acceptance whenever it was needed. She also had a tender heart for the less fortunate, the outcast, the ignored and the forgotten. While her body failed, her mind stayed sharp to the very end and she made a point to stay current on local news, world affairs, sports and politics.
Emily was preceded in death by her parents, Jud and Kate Covert; her husband, Bill; her brother, John Covert; her young son, Judson (1951); her daughter, Katie (Tom Stack); her son, John; and her nephew, Mac Covert.
She is survived by her children, Jim (Lin) Roscoe of Billings, Bill Roscoe III of Sacramento, Calif., Tris (Jim) Salyer of Billings, Mike (Amy) Roscoe of Billings; her nephew, Doug (Kathy) Covert of Phoenix; her niece, Sue (Covert) Ortiz, also of Phoenix; 18 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Visitation begins at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, and continues until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary located at 1001 Alderson Ave. A family welcome plus viewing begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 13, and a vigil commences at 7 p.m., followed by a celebration and remembrance of Emily's life immediately after. Cremation is planned.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at noon on Thursday, Aug. 14, at St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral, located at 215 N. 31st St. in Billings, followed by private graveside services.
Interment at Mountview Cemetery, Billings, MT. Per Death Certificate:
Friends who wish to remember Emily in a special way may send memorials to Billings Area Catholic Education Trust, PO Box 31158, Billings, MT, 59107; Mental Health Foundation, 1245 N. 29th St., Billings, MT, 59101; or any charity of their choice.
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1918 - 2014 (96 years)
