Rosamond Wentworth "Rossie" Dennis, 93, died April 8, 2022, at her home on Juniper Point surrounded by the love of her family. She was the beloved wife of the late Edwin Waldo "Mike" Dennis for 53 years.

Born at home on Federal Street on November 17, 1928, she was the second daughter of the late Roscoe and Lucy (Bigelow) Gould.

A lifelong resident of Salem, she was a graduate of Salem High School Class of 1946 and a 1951 graduate of Simmons College.

Mrs. Dennis worked as a Registered Nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital until her marriage in 1953 after which she shifted her focus to raising her three daughters and caring for her aging parents and in-laws. Her greatest feat of nursing, however, was caring for her husband, Mike, in the twenty-two years following his serious brain injury in 1985.

Mrs. Dennis was an ardent member of the Salem community. She was a former active member of the Tabernacle Congregational Church where she served in various capacities and enjoyed many enduring friendships. She volunteered her time and talent across multiple endeavors including serving on the Boards of the Salem Female Charitable Society and the Brookhouse Home for Women. She was also a regular volunteer at blood donor events and CPR instruction with the Red Cross.

She was a woman of great curiosity and many interests that she pursued with fervor. She and Mike thoroughly enjoyed boating. Her love of the outdoors and education led her to lead Girl Scout troops for many years, her deep roots in New England inspired her genealogical quests, and her love of animals made her an active birder and dedicated dog and cat rescuer. Always the life of the party, she was well known across Salem Sewing Circles, the Friday-Nighters, the Salem Marine Society, the Juniper Community Club, and the former Locust Lawn Club and Cackle Club along with a host of other beloved friend groups. Aside from her family, her greatest interest, though, was the ocean and through her final days she loved tracking the wildlife ebbs and flows of Salem Sound.

She is survived by her daughters: Jean Dennis, Susan Bresnahan, both of Salem, and Anne Bridgman and her husband Gregory of West Bath, Maine; four grandchildren: Roscoe Bishop and and his wife Megan of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Nathaniel Bishop and his wife Stephanie of Princeton Junction, New Jersey, and Ethan and Kathryn Bresnahan of Los Angeles, California; four great-grandchildren: Kailey, Connor, Dominic, and Elliot; her sister, Barbara Syer of Great Barrington, Massachusetts; her extraordinary caregivers: Hedy Thibault, Hannah Belle Crowley, Noel Crowley and Caitlyn McMath; as well as her nieces, nephew, cousins, and many cherished friends.

She will be sorely missed as she was greatly loved and will be remembered fondly as a very positive, capable and determined lady with an unforgettable smile.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 4th at 11 AM, at 140 Bay View Avenue, Salem MA. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make contributions in her memory to the Salem Female Charitable Society, P.O. Box 390, Salem MA 01970. Arrangements are under the direction of Murphy Funeral Home.