Rosemary Sales, 59, passed away peacefully at home in Virginia Beach, VA on Saturday, July 29th, 2023 after a long and difficult battle with multiple sclerosis. She was comforted and cared for by her loving husband, Domingo, in her final morning. 

Rosemary, lovingly referred to as “Rosie”, was born on June 12th, 1964 to Stephen and Jean McTeague in Brooklyn, NY before relocating and growing up in Falls Church, VA. She played basketball at St James Catholic School and graduated from Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School where she was in the band. She was the middle child of four siblings, fondly remembered for her easy to get along with personality and her love of baking, basketball, riding her bike, and music. She was dedicated to her Catholic faith and was a parishioner of St James Catholic Church (Falls Church, VA) and Holy Spirit Catholic Church (Virginia Beach, VA). 

She held a few odd jobs, such as a movie theater employee, a radio DJ at the University of Virginia, and at the United States Postal Service, before obtaining her Bachelor of Science in medical technology from George Mason University. She maintained a certification as a medical technologist from 1992 through her early retirement in 2009. She easily made friends wherever she worked, and took time to understand and care for all of those around her, even going out of her way to learn ASL to communicate with her hard-of-hearing coworkers. She would also go on to volunteer her time at the library helping others who needed assistance with preparing and filing their taxes.

During her time at the post office, Rosie met Domingo, her partner in life, live music, sports, and travel. He was immediately smitten with her, even taking up bowling to be around her more. As all the best love stories do, theirs started with a first date to a KISS concert. This was the beginning to over three decades of loud rock concerts, sporting events, handwritten cards, and laughter. They got married in the winter of 1993 and started a family together in northern Virginia before moving down to Virginia Beach to continue their journey. Rosie was a military wife and took care of things at home through her husband’s four deployments. 

She was the mother of three children to whom she passed on her open spirit, love of live music, and love of cats. One of her favorite cats that she cared for was named Cosmo, and Rosie would tell you that he was, “…the king of the house.” Even while struggling with her health, she did everything she could to be a selfless mom and a strong guiding force for her family. She was incredibly proud of all of her childrens’ achievements and loved nothing more than her job as a mother. Rosie always took the time to cook their favorite meals, bake their favorite sweets, and share songs and events that reminded her of them. What was limited by her physical being, she made up for in her love and thoughtfulness for her family.

Rosemary is survived by her husband, her son, Dominic, and her daughters, Erica and Nicole. Forever remembered by her three siblings, Steve, Kathleen, and Lorna, as well as in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. 

There will be a viewing held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 4, 2023 at Altmeyer Funeral Home – Southside Chapel, located at 5033 Rouse Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. We will be coordinating with Holy Spirit Catholic Church to host a memorial mass at a later date. The details for this service will be shared at the viewing, or through communication with one of the family members.