Rosana Marie Olivas-Klipper

Surrounded by family and friends, Rosana passed away peacefully at her home in Washington Terrace, Utah on Tuesday afternoon, February 19, 2019, due to complications of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  This disease challenged her for more than 30 years and although she fought back daily, enduring a multitude of debilitating and often times painful symptoms, her fragile body was unable to fight back any longer.

Rosana was born in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, to Cornelio Olivas and Eulogia Salazar.  In the 1940s, her family moved to Ogden, Utah, where Rosana attended and graduated from St. Joseph Grade School and St. Joseph High School.  Her first job was in the diet kitchen and then in the medical records office at St. Benedict’s Hospital (Ogden Regional Hospital) while in her teens.  Later she worked at Mountain Bell as an operator, and then for Dr. Dean Tanner as his medical assistant.  She was known to her dear old friends as Rose or Rosie.  After her children were grown, she went back to work in St. Benedict’s Hospital in the medical records office and later at Arby’s.  Her MS problems increased and by the mid 1990s she was unable to work any longer.

She married George A. Klipper on August 21, 1965, in St. Joseph’s Church, Ogden, Utah.  Together they have 3 children, Karla V. Klipper (Jennifer Frascino) of San Diego, Ca., Paula M. Fullmer (Roger Fullmer) of Circleville, Utah and Andrew G. Klipper (Cindy Reiss) of Bozeman, Montana.   They have 3 grandchildren, Faith Marie Fullmer, Gates Lee Fullmer, and Reese Rose Klipper.

She is survived by her 3 sisters, Mary Louise (Dolly) Heninger, Olivia Empey, Rita Chadwell and one brother, Eloy Olivas.  She was preceded in death by her parents Eulogia Salazar and Cornelio Olivas and 3 brothers, Cipriano Olivas, Cornelio (Shorty) Olivas, Jr., and Arturo Olivas.

Mom enjoyed spending her time playing bingo with her friends and going to the horse races with her family (always betting on the grays).  She enjoyed going to Wendover, Nevada with her husband.  She loved to visit with her friends and looked forward to her monthly luncheon with the ladies.  She and dad would travel several times a year to San Diego, Bozeman and Southern Utah to visit their kids and grandchildren. Always stopping at the local casino along the way to play the slots and she was usually extremely lucky!

Her inner strength, courage and commitment to her family is the precious legacy she leaves to us; she did not fear the unknown, often stating her motto in life, “It is what it is”.  She was a kind and outgoing woman who made friends easily.

A special thank you to the staff at CNS Hospice services, mom’s amazing nurse Carrie and the CNA’s that took such wonderful care of mom.  Thank you to mom’s private CNA’s Emma, Allison, and Amanda; you truly are angels that were sent to us and mom loved you all.  We will always remember how you treated mom with such love, kindness and respect.  We also give a big thank you to Rosana’s cousin Josie Becraft whose long and tireless work gave our mother great comfort. 

In lieu of flowers, please help honor Rosana’s memory with a donation to the National MS Society: https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Events/HOM-General?pxfid=585645&fr_id=7541&pg=fund

Please join us for a celebration of Rosana’s life on Saturday, March 2nd from 3:30p-7p at the Prairie Schooner, 445 Park Blvd, Ogden Ut 84401