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.
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.