Born November 25, 1936 in Kokstad, South Africa.
Passed away August 27, 2024 in Adelaide, South Australia.
Beloved daughter of Algar and Grace;
and adored wife of Robin (all deceased).
Cherished by her many friends, colleagues and students.
Shakespeare
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I feel sad that so many years have passed since I last saw Rosemary. In that last meeting we sat in her beautiful garden and caught up on friends and colleagues. She was one of the brightest and most exotic colleagues I've ever had. I loved her wit, her elegance, and those fluffy pooches of hers - we nicknamed them 'floor-polishers' but they were always (no surprise) well-behaved dogs, bringing life and colour to the dreary grey Napier building. Vale Rosemary. Deirdre
I first met Rosemary Sweetapple (as she then was) when she was my tutor for English II in 1966, the year in which I began a three-year English honours program. I had never before met anyone like her—elegant and sophisticated, intelligent and funny, interested in the whole field of the arts—and she had a profound impact on me. Over the next few years we developed a strong friendship and she continued to support and encourage me in my studies. Amongst other things she gave me a new appreciation of eighteenth-century English literature (an area to which I had previously been indifferent) and, of course, she confirmed and expanded my already existing love of Henry James. I remain immensely grateful for all that I Iearnt from her in these years as I laid the foundation for my later career as a university teacher of English. Over time I got to know her mother, the generous-hearted Grace, known as Granny, and the beloved Poosye-Pie, the first of the many Pekinese she had in Australia. All of this added up to a very rich experience for me. Over the many subsequent years I had intermittent contact with Rosemary, always stimulating and enjoyable. With her fine intellect and deep appreciation of a wide range of literature, she was an inspiring teacher and mentor and at all times a warm and generous friend. I was lucky to know her at a crucial stage in my life and to retain her friendship over a long period of years. I will miss her. Dear Rosemary, farewell.
Rosemary - a beautiful woman, and a warm and generous teacher, mentor, and friend. Robin was a colleague and friend of my father's, and Rosemary and her beloved Pekes, including Mitzi, were fixtures of my studies in the English Department at the University of Adelaide in the early to mid 1990s. I have vivid memories of meeting Rosemary in a crowded lift in the Napier Building, bravely clutching Mitzi, who would shortly be ensconced on a velvety cushion in Rosemary's office, there to wheeze companionably through student tutorials. (There was an uncanny student legend that one "Mitzi", when its time came, was always replaced with another!). With her inimitable and classic personal style (cream tailored suits, silk scarves, and amber jewellery, including rings she had made herself), Rosemary was a distinctive figure in a professional world not necessarily known for its sartorial elegance. Given the opportunity, she would have attracted followers on social media as a stylist, had she chosen to do so. Her sense of style extended to her surroundings, and she made her campus office beautiful beyond any standard academic den. I remember deep reds and silken cushions, as we delved into the mysteries of Victorian writers and psychoanalytic theory; even then, I knew this was highly unusual. When I later became a postgraduate student in Brisbane, I told Helen Tiffin, then Professor in the Department of English, Media Studies and Art History at U. of Queensland, that I had been taught by Rosemary at Adelaide and she sighed, "Rosemary Sweetapple!" Apparently, Rosemary's style and elegance were legendary on the academic conference circuit. I stayed in touch with Rosemary after graduation, and she attended my eldest son's christening. Later I visited her at her home in Medindie, with my son along for the ride in the pram. It was a hot day, and but her Pekes kept cool lounging on ceramic tiles on the floor; I recall the stunning red Chinoiserie wallpaper (Schumacher?) in the bathroom. We sat in the garden on the swing seat and talked about books and art. When I think of Rosemary I recall how very intelligent, thoughtful, sensitive, and kind she was; and a private person. She was an inspiring teacher and a vivid lecturer, who introduced us to many new writers; she genuinely cared about students, but she also challenged us, expected much from us, and invited us to explore new worlds and new ways of thinking. Rosemary highly valued beauty and harmony, and her spirit and presence made the world a more beautiful place. Vale
Andrew Taylor -
So sad to hear that Rosemary has finally left us. She was a great friend and colleague. When I was at Adelaide University we had adjoining rooms in the Napier Building and shared a phone number. When she was on Sabbatical I used to enjoy telling people who called her that she wouldn't be back for eight months but would they care to leave a message. It was good fun when she came back.