Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Roseann Teresa Murtha |
| Birth date | April 30, 1934 |
| Marriage | Edward Joseph O’Donnell, 1959 |
| Children | Five children (two widely known: Daniel J. O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell) |
| Death date | March 17, 1973 (age 38) |
| Occupation | Homemaker |
| Noted for | Mother of public figures; central presence in a close knit family |
| Burial | Interred in the family plot |
A life sketched in few lines and great effects
The lives that Roseann Teresa Murtha cultivated, rather than the headlines she created, are what make her life memorable. She was born in 1934 and got married in 1959. Over the course of a little over ten years, she became the focal point of a family that produced five children, two of whom were well-known: Rosie O’Donnell, an entertainer born in 1962, and Daniel J. O’Donnell, a long-serving member of the New York state assembly born in 1960. At the age of 38, Roseann passed away on March 17, 1973, leaving a family that would continue to benefit from her impact in advocacy, entertainment, politics, and private life.
Thinking of Roseann is like looking at a fulcrum. In a little domestic environment, she was the steady hand. Although her occupation was listed as “homemaker,” it encompasses thousands of moments that the average person seldom maps, such as packing lunches, having late-night chats, tending to skinned knees, making birthday cakes, signing school paperwork, and spotting and guiding minor uprisings. Repeatedly performing those simple actions served as the foundation for futures that her name hardly mentions in the press but that manifest in her children’s voices and careers.
Family roster and introductions
The family that Roseann helped build reads like a constellation centered on a quiet star. Below is an organized list of immediate family members with the details available in public memory and family accounts.
| Relation | Name | Brief introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | Edward Joseph O’Donnell | Husband and father figure who raised the children after Roseann’s death; worked in engineering and maintained the household through challenging years. |
| Child | Daniel J. O’Donnell (b. Nov 17, 1960) | Roseann’s son who grew into a political life as a New York state assembly member and an attorney; one of the two children most visible in public life. |
| Child | Rosie O’Donnell (b. Mar 21, 1962) | Daughter who became an entertainer, comedian, talk show host, author, and activist; often speaks of family in interviews and memoirs. |
| Children | Three other siblings | Roseann and Edward had five children in total; the other three siblings are part of the family fabric though they keep lower public profiles. |
| Grandchildren | Parker Jaren O’Donnell; Chelsea Belle O’Donnell; Blake Christopher O’Donnell; Vivienne Rose O’Donnell; Dakota O’Donnell | These are the next generation who carry the family name and histories forward, some adopted by Rosie and some mentioned in family accounts. |
That table does not exhaust a life, but it maps the primary relations. Where public documentation is sparse, the family remembers in stories rather than press releases. Names and dates become waypoints rather than exhaustive biographies.
The timeline that defines a household
Time in Roseann’s life is compact and decisive. The table below puts key dates and numbers into a single glance.
| Year | Age | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 0 | Birth of Roseann Teresa Murtha on April 30 |
| 1959 | 25 | Marriage to Edward Joseph O’Donnell |
| 1960 | 26 | Birth of son Daniel J. O’Donnell (Nov 17) |
| 1962 | 28 | Birth of daughter Rosie O’Donnell (Mar 21) |
| 1973 | 38 | Death of Roseann on March 17; family left without their mother |
Those dates mark the arc of one life and the starting points for several others. They also highlight a pattern familiar to many families: concentrated years of creation followed by a sudden absence that reshapes every plan.
How loss reshaped careers and choices
When a parent passes away when the child is ten or twelve years old, it imposes early adulthood. Roseann’s absence became a distinguishing characteristic for Rosie, Daniel, and their siblings. One sibling pursued a career in public service and law. One resorted to public speaking and performance. Others wanted more sedate lives. It’s not a magical pattern. Removing a central character causes the surviving members to redistribute positions, duties, and memory. It is a common and stark situation. Resilience, caregiving, and the capacity to function well under duress are examples of childhood skills that have later emerged as professional advantages.
Financial and occupational footprint
Roseann herself is recorded as a homemaker. There are no public records of a separate professional career or extensive financial estate under her name. Her principal legacy is not monetary in the public record; it is familial. The economic story of the household continued after her death under the stewardship of her husband, who raised five children alone. The net worth of her descendants evolved later through professional work in politics and entertainment, not through any documented estate from Roseann.
Presence in public memory and recent mentions
Roseann appears in public life mainly as a reference point in biographical accounts, retrospectives, and family remembrances. Her death date, March 17, 1973, is repeated in profiles as the moment that changed many lives. Beyond these references, she does not have a personal archive of press coverage, awards, or public office. Instead she lives on in the stories told by the people she raised, in small family photos, and in later interviews where her children reflect on early loss and legacy.
The private woman behind public names
If Roseann were a house, the woodwork would be old and familiar; the paint would show the fingerprints of little hands. She moved through daily life making a home that became the springboard for others. Her story is less about a résumé and more about emotional labor. She set patterns. She taught habits. She left intangible inheritance: a sense of humor in one child, a sense of civic duty in another, and the knowledge that life can change in a single season.
FAQ
Who was Roseann Teresa Murtha married to?
Roseann was married to Edward Joseph O’Donnell in 1959, who later raised their five children after her death.
How many children did Roseann have?
She had five children, among whom Daniel J. O’Donnell and Rosie O’Donnell are the most widely known.
When did Roseann Teresa Murtha die?
She died on March 17, 1973, at the age of 38.
What was Roseann’s occupation?
Her occupation is recorded as homemaker, a role that encompassed most of her known public activity.
Are there public records of Roseann’s career achievements?
No public career achievements under her name are recorded; her influence is primarily familial.
Who are Roseann’s notable grandchildren?
Notable grandchildren include Parker Jaren O’Donnell, Chelsea Belle O’Donnell, Blake Christopher O’Donnell, Vivienne Rose O’Donnell, and Dakota O’Donnell.
Did Roseann’s family become prominent?
Yes; two of her children became public figures: Daniel J. O’Donnell in politics and Rosie O’Donnell in entertainment.
Where is Roseann buried?
She is interred in a family plot, recorded in memorial and family records.
