Rose Marie Garner, San Diego attorney, passed away on April 6, 2024, of natural causes.

She was born January 2, 1957, in Roswell, New Mexico. Rose began her life as the first baby of the year, in true overachiever fashion (her words). She was the oldest of eleven children born to Louis and Anne Marie Piccotti. During her father's Air Force career, the Piccotti family moved many times, and she was educated at several different schools throughout the United States, including Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School in New York where she was on the yearbook staff, the gymnastics team, and the debate team while graduating with high honors. She then attended Oklahoma State University, where she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honors in Political Science and Public Administration.

She continued her post baccalaureate education earning her Juris Doctorate at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. During her first year of law school, Rose had the opportunity to participate in a nationally recognized case involving an Oklahoma man who was accused, and later acquitted of criminal charges. This historic case solidified her decision to pursue a career in law, and Rose was proud to work alongside honorable lawyers that had a determination for the truth and sought justice through tenacious investigation.

With a love of research and continued learning, Rose sought professional development and educational experiences at Harvard University, Drexel University, as well as Oxford University in London where she witnessed the "Royal Wedding Kiss" of Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.

After Law school, Rose took a job as the Assistant City Attorney of Stillwater Oklahoma from 1983 to 1988. She then moved to San Diego with her family where she became a member of the California State Bar Association and began working as a Senior Supervising Attorney for a large San Diego Law Firm. In 1993, she started her own law firm, Rose Garner & Associates, where she provided legal expertise in numerous areas including construction design defects, contracts, personal injury, products liability, and real estate fraud. One of her most prominent cases was on behalf of a national fast-food franchiser, where she and her team won a $58 million settlement. Rose also worked several years in the legal departments of General Atomics and S.A.I.C. in San Diego where she managed multimillion dollar Department of Defense contracts.

While she found her legal work fulfilling, Rose became fully alive when she was participating in church and community outreach endeavors, family get-togethers, and during moments spent with her children. She loved her Catholic faith and taught Sunday School at St. Gregory's Church with her good friend Margaret Byrne. They delivered meals to the homebound, and volunteered together at St. Vincent de Paul and St. Joseph's Village. As a member of the St. Thomas More Society, she was the director of a collegiate scholarship project to help students with academic expenses. She was also a Girl Scout Leader, a 4-H Leader, yearbook chairperson, Assistant baseball coach, Pop Warner Football Board member, and all-around devoted mom to her two children, William and Jeanie. When asked what brought her the most joy in life, without hesitation, she replied, "my family".

Following retirement, Rose enjoyed the ocean, the San Diego sunny skies and temperate weather, and being a grandmother, fully embracing the life her family had come to love on the West Coast. Her friends on Tristania Street adopted her into their football club, inviting her to watch the games with them during football season. She talked of the fun they all had together and was happy to be a part of the group. She also belonged to an all-female lawyer investment club which met on Saturdays for over 30 years. These women became some of her best friends. Rose was a volunteer at Elizabeth Hospice in San Diego for many years. One of the highlights while volunteering there was when she had the opportunity to Chair the "Light Up a Life" celebration with cancer survivor, Ann Jillian.

Some of her interests and passions included being a San Diego Grunion Greeter with Pepperdine University, participating in the Adopt-A-Highway programs, walking on the beach, frequenting art museums, and playing bocce ball. She also loved her time as a California APA Licensed Poultry Judge traveling the state and judging poultry at county fairs. She had a great sense of humor and laughed at some of her adventures. She chuckled as she told of a time when a chicken laid an egg on her while she was doing her inspection.

Rose loved her family, and they loved her. She worked hard all of her life, and enjoyed her time on earth making good use of her God-given talents. She was an inspiration to all.

Rose is preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Jean Marie Piccotti, and her brother John Louis Piccotti. She is survived by her children William Louis Garner and Jeanie Ann Peterson. She is also survived by her grandson, John David Sleeper, Son-in-law, Brian Peterson, and her 8 brothers and sisters, Mary Slater, Anne Stafford, Louis J. Piccotti, Rita Harding, Carol Copp, Lynn Lockhart, Gene Piccotti and Tony Piccotti; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Rosary and Funeral Mass will be held at The Immaculata Catholic Church, 5998 Alcala Park Way, San Diego, CA at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Please use the following link for the livestream of the Funeral Mass https://player2.streamspot.com/?playerId=9b156d38

Interment will take place at Our Mother of Sorrows Cemetery, Greenfield Township, PA with a Committal service in the cemetery chapel on Friday, April 26, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. The procession to the cemetery will leave from Parise Funeral Home, 89 Farview Street, Carbondale, PA, at 12:30 p.m. Dinner Reception at Hotel Anthracite, 25 S. Main St, Carbondale, PA 18407 (immediately following the funeral service.)