Rose Marie Hartigan

Rose Marie (Duncan) Hartigan, 73, was welcomed home by her Heavenly Father on June 8, 2025, while under the diligent and compassionate care of Good Samaritan Hospice.

She was born on Nov. 2, 1951, in Vincennes, the cherished daughter of Jack and Rowena Duncan.

Rose Marie was a proud graduate of the Lincoln High School Class of 1969. A year after graduation, she stepped into the role that would define much of her life: becoming a mother to her son, Marc Allen McNeece.

Their bond was strong and enduring. She celebrated his achievements, drew strength from his happiness, and stood firmly beside him during difficult times.

She then delighted in the arrival of her granddaughter, Vivien Lin McNeece, on Nov. 15, 2010. Whether spoiling her with holiday confections, a carefully chosen gift, or offering gentle words of praise, Rose Marie poured love into every moment she spent with her.

Rose Marie searched most of her life for a love that offered both spark and sanctuary, and she found it - just in time - in Joseph Hartigan.

The two met on the first day of high school in August of 1965, and Joe was immediately smitten. The two would go on to build separate lives, but decades later, Joe made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. He promised to love her and care for her all the days of her life, a promise he kept to the very end, never leaving her side as she battled a brief but catastrophic illness and holding her as she took her final breaths.

The two found an easy, abiding love, spending quiet days together at their little home in Oaktown, enjoying rides on the side-by-side, target shooting, going to their favorite local restaurants, and lounging in the evenings on a patio Joe built just for her.

He loved her candor, her joyful laugh, and the comfort of her homemade meals.

Rose Marie was always thoughtful in her appearance - consistently well-dressed with her hair neatly styled and nails perfectly painted. She was, in every sense, the essence of a lady.

Throughout her life, Rose Marie also took pride in her work — whether supporting students as an aide at Vigo Elementary School or keeping things running smoothly at Best Way Trucking. After moving to St. Charles, Missouri, she earned her pharmacy technician degree and found fulfillment in offering kind, attentive care to customers at Walmart.

Upon returning to her native Vincennes in 2017, she was welcomed home by a devoted group of former classmates. The women of the ’69 Lunch Bunch gathered monthly to catch up, reflect on old memories, and be there for one another through life’s ups and downs. They thought of her addition to their group as a blessing and took joy in her tender and sweet disposition.

Those left to cherish Rose Marie’s memory include her husband, Joe; her son, Marc, and his wife, Jenny; and her granddaughter, Vivien.

She is also survived by her stepsons, Nick Hartigan and Rob Hartigan; nephews, James Dye and Steve Crump; and many cousins, step-grandchildren, other family members, and treasured friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Rowena; siblings, Sandi Shaffran and Jack Duncan Jr.; and a beloved niece, Dayna Dye.

A graveside service will be held at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff at Good Samaritan Hospice, its Emergency Department and the nurses and physicians at Deaconess Gateway Hospital for their compassionate care of Rose Marie in her final days.

Memorials may be made to the Vincennes Animal Shelter, 1128 River Road, Vincennes, IN, 47591.

Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home is privileged and honored to be entrusted with the care of Rose and her family.