Rosemary Koste (89) of Effingham

Rosemary Koste, 89, of Effingham, Illinois died Thursday, June 22, 2017, at home after a period of declining health.

A funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Effingham, with visitation at the church an hour before the funeral, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in St. Anthony Cemetery, Effingham. Bauer Funeral Home, Effingham, is in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic School.

Rosemary was a devoted, loving mother of three, who spent countless hours as a devoted, loving grandmother to her four grandchildren. Born in Chicago, she was the eldest child of Wilbert and Pauline (Vondenbosch) McDevitt. Rosemary attended Sacred Heart Grade School, Effingham High School and Mundelein College (now a part of Loyola University) in Chicago. She began her work career early, helping her father in one of his businesses, Mac’s Barbeque. After returning home from college, Rosemary worked for several years in the Effingham County school system as secretary to the Superintendant of Schools. In 1949, Rosemary married Nick G. Koste and soon after, her father offered the couple the opportunity to take over his Mac’s Barbeque business. Rosemary and Nick relocated the business across the street from its original location on South Banker and called the new location “Southtown Cafe”. Southtown Cafe served the community for 18 years from 1957 to 1975. Rosemary did all the bookkeeping, ordering, and “human resources”, as well as working many hours in both the kitchen and front of the restaurant, all while managing a home and family. Rosemary and Nick closed the doors at Southtown for the last time in 1975 after deciding to retire due to Nick’s failing health.

Rosemary was an avid reader, sharing hundreds of books with sister-in-law Doris. When she was able, Rosemary maintained a beautiful flower garden and cherished the time she spent working in her garden. She loved her home and its furnishings and decorations. She was a wonderful cook and her dinner table often included her mother Pauline, and her daughter Kayla and her family. Sunday roast beef dinners were de rigueur when her out-of-town children visited.

The family gives special recognition and gratitude to Rosemary's caregiver Nony Czyzewski and to HSHS St. Anthony Hospice for the extraordianary services they provided, and to Rosemary's sister, Ann Platt, for all the time and effort she gave to coordinate the care and maintain the household during Rosemary's illness.

Rosemary is survived by son, Tony Koste and spouse Michael Potter of Irving, Texas; daughter, Coleen Linde and spouse, Jeff and their children Kelly (Olympia, Washington) and Tyler (Newburg, Oregon); daughter, Kayla Cordes and spouse John and their children Kaitlin and Kourtney of Effingham; brothers, Bill (wife Joyce) McDevitt of Effingham, Lee (wife Jalyn) of Mattoon; sisters, Ann Platt of Effingham and Jane (husband Bob) Schuette of Effingham; sister-in-law and dear friend Doris McDevitt (husband Eugene) of Effingham; sisters-in-law Jane McDevitt (husband Donald) of Louisville, Kentucky and Linda McDevitt (husband George) of Rochester, Minnesota, and brother-in-law, A.W. Dasenbrock of Effingham.

Rosemary was preceded in death by husband Nick (1993); brothers, George, Daniel, Eugene and Donald, and sister, Virginia Dasenbrock and parents.