Kiernan Ann Rozum

Kiernan Ann (McGrann) Rozum (6/30/1942 - 2/28/2023)

"The goal of life is the creation of love within the human community." - Kiernan Rozum

Kiernan Ann (McGrann) Rozum was an extraordinary woman who touched the lives of so many people in countless ways. A bright mind and compassionate light in the world, she taught us much.

Born June 30, 1942, in Frederick, Oklahoma to Richard Jerome McGrann and Patricia Edith (Brennan) McGrann, Kiernan was the oldest of five children. She was raised in Watertown, South Dakota with her four beloved siblings.

Kiernan excelled in academics. She graduated from Watertown High School in 1960 with high honors. She shined in speech, debate, declamation, extemporaneous speaking, and drama. In the Summer of 1960, she won 2nd in the nation at the National Forensic Tournament in Girls' extemporaneous speaking. Kiernan was #1 in the nation for debate; she beat both Tom Brokaw and a senator/former president of Oklahoma University, David Boren.

She worked throughout high school when she wasn't in debate tournaments at the Watertown Public Opinion in the sales department as a secretary because she took shorthand and was a good typist. The staff there appreciated her hard work ethic and many contributions.

Earning a scholarship, Kiernan graduated from The College of Saint Teresa in Winona, MN, earning a BS degree in biology and chemistry. She also worked as a resident assistant to pay for her room and board. She graduated in three years in 1963, taking 22 hours a semester to graduate early.

She married the love of her life, Leo Thomas "Tom" Rozum, on June 21, 1963. She was a talented seamstress and sewed her own wedding dress. Tom and Kiernan moved to Milwaukee, WI where Tom enrolled in medical school at Marquette.

Kiernan worked as a medical technologist at Children's Hospital until she got pregnant with their first daughter, Jean. Lizabeth was born a year after Jean, and Jennifer was born 1.5 years after Liz.

Tom's medical schooling dominated their lives for the next four years of medical school, residency, and then Navy years at the Milwaukee Naval Induction Center. Kiernan was a busy Mom, homemaker, gardener, and gourmet cook.

After living in Sun Prairie for a few years while Tom was finishing school, the family later moved to Oshkosh where Tom started and grew his private Dermatology practice. Keeping busy with family, church, and volunteer work, Kiernan also enjoyed playing Bridge, golfing, and special times boating on the lake with her family.

Once the girls finished college, Kiernan completed her Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry at Tulane University, with much of her courses taken through distance learning. She also took advanced continuing education courses at Marian University, Cardinal Stritch University, and Loyola Institute for Ministry.

Kiernan focused her work on parish ministry and was instrumental in establishing adult education programs in the Oshkosh Catholic churches. She was especially passionate about social justice issues and was very involved in Pax Christi, the National Catholic Peace Movement. For years she also led a vast breadth of spiritual retreat work at her beloved RiverMeadow log home sanctuary in Pine River, WI.

Kiernan was always an avid reader, traveler, and lifelong learner, brimming with curiosity, intelligence, passion, and heart; she forever strived to make the world a better place during her time here.

She is survived by her daughters Jean Detjen, Lizabeth Rozum, and Jennifer Viola; her grandchildren Brendan Detjen, Bailey Spiers, and Eric Detjen; and her siblings Dorothy Brown, James McGrann, Eileen Husserl, and Patrick McGrann.

Special thanks are extended to Maggie's Hospice and The Margaret T. Morris Center (Northern Arizona's only assisted living community dedicated solely to dementia care) in Prescott, Arizona where Kiernan spent her final years of life.

A burial service and celebration of life will be held at a later date at Immaculate Conception Church & St. Mary's Cemetery in Watertown, South Dakota. Memorial contributions may be sent in Kiernan's honor to the American Heart Association (heart.org), Dementia Society of America (dementiasociety.org), and ESTHER interfaith social justice (esther-foxvalley.org).

Living eulogy. She danced. She sang. She took. She gave. She loved. She created. She dissented. She enlivened. She saw. She grew. She sweated. She changed. She learned. She laughed. She shed her skin. She bled on the pages of her days, she walked through walls, she lived with intention. - Mary Anne Radmacher