Obituary of Ada Mae Rosebrough

Colorado Springs – Ada Mae Hair Rosebrough, 88, died at Freedom Home on Aug. 7, 2015 surrounded by her children and grandchildren, after several years of battling breast cancer. She was a long-time resident of Farmington, NM but was born Sept. 28, 1926 in Homestead, FL, the daughter of Fowler and Elsie Hair.Ada was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, mother-in-law, daughter, sister, friend, artist, business woman, teacher, ranch hand and Rodeo Queen. She exemplified a life well-lived. She was as well-rounded as any non-athletic woman could be. Her best friend teased her recently about "loving her children too much." Her children treasured that comment and their love was equally returned.After graduating from Jal High School in New Mexico at age 16, Ada went with her sister Ida to Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, NM and graduated in 1946. She went on to get her master's in secondary education at Columbia University Teachers' College in New York City. She always said it was so exciting for a "little country girl" to go from growing up on a ranch in Southern New Mexico to spend three summers in New York City.Ada taught first graders and then went on to teach high school typing and short hand. She married Haskell in 1952. She was active in the Democratic Party and the American Cancer Society. For many years she organized an event where women could come in for free pap smears and screenings. She was the first woman in Farmington to have her name in the phone book and paid extra to have it read Haskell and Ada. She and a friend also conspired to wear pant suits to church on the same day rather than the customary dress. She was a quiet rabble-rouser with a wonderful sense of humor.She owned an art gallery in downtown Farmington and supported the local artists. As an artist, she appreciated their talent and made life-long friendships with the artists and their families, most of them Native Americans. In 2007 she and Haskell moved to Colorado Springs to an independent living facility run by the PEO Chapters in Colorado. She was a long time member of PEO, an educational philanthropic organization supporting women's education.Funeral Home:The Springs Funeral Services3115 East Platte AvenueColorado Springs, , COUS 80909 Events Service Thursday, August 13, 2015 1:00PM Freedom Home 10080 Lexington Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Phone: 719-328-1793 Service Saturday, September 12, 2015 4:00PM Marriott Courtyard Farmington, NM Phone: 719-328-1793