Rosemary Rideout Meding, 71, of Punta Gorda, FL., passed away peacefully Monday, May 11, 2015 at the Tidewell Hospice House.
She was born April 15, 1944 in Jacksonville, FL. She was the daughter of Witney Rideout and Stela (Gordon) Rideout.
She lived in Concord, New Hampshire and received a bachelor’s degree as a x-ray technician at Maine Medical Center.
In 1972, she moved to Missouri where she was married and had two children, Scott E. Knight and Christopher M. Knight.
There, she raised her boys and slaved on her dairy farm with 100 milk cows. She also earned a commercial driver’s license and drove a tractor trailer in her “spare time.”
In 1984, she returned to New Hampshire and found her childhood sweetheart, Stephen Meding, whom she married in 1985.
They moved to Punta Gorda in 1998.
There, Rosemary discovered “Zebu” miniature cattle, became infatuated, and soon had a herd of 25 animals. They were her “babies.” She trained, groomed, taught them to pull a wagon, and loved them all. Her knowledge of animals was exhausting! Her husband says, “She’s the smartest woman I ever met, and found a new friend wherever she went.”
She was predeceased by her son, Scott E. Knight, U.S.M.C., and her brother, Richard Rideout.
Members of her family surviving are husband, Stephen, her son, Christopher M. Knight, stepsons Charles Y. Meding, Stephen M. Meding, grandchildren Haley and Morgan Knight, Sam Meding, Matilda Meding, and Rebecca Rideout.
Funeral will be private, family only, at an undisclosed time.
Memorial contributions may be made to Peace River Wildlife, 3400 Ponce de Leon Pkwy, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, or Dames for Danes Rescue, PO Box 4922, Oak Ridge, TN 37831
Rosemary may be kindly remembered at icscremationandfunerals.org, or on Facebook at facebook.com/icscremationandfunerals
