Rosalia Kollmann Berberich, 91, passed away peacefully on August 15, 2025, in her own home, a lifelong dream, with family by her bedside.
Rosalia was born on January 1, 1934, in Krndija, Yugoslavia, to Martin and Theresia Kollmann.
Rosi was a devoted grandmother, mother, and friend who lived a life many would say echoed the very story, “The Sound of Music.” As a child, she escaped the horrors of the Second World War, smuggling fellow refugees across the Austrian border to safety. She went on to receive a Master of Textile Art Design, rising to the top of her class in Austria before marrying the love of her life, Walter Berberich. They immigrated from their homeland in Salzburg, Austria to Mansfield, Ohio in 1957, becoming American citizens, where she worked at the North American Knitting Company. Over the years, she was instrumental in building her family’s excavating and concrete business. She devoted herself to Resurrection Parish, sewing sleeping bags for the less fortunate.
Rosi’s compassion and generosity echoed through all she brought to life, sewing elegant dresses, embroidered tapestries, and handwoven clothing for her children and grandchildren. She radiated love through her Austro-Hungarian recipes that mirrored her youth: schnitzel, kipfel, and her famed Christmas cookies. Her garden, which she lovingly tended and credited with healing many of life’s ailments; bloomed as a reflection of her care and spirit. She overcame cancer, including ovarian and leukemia and was in remission from both at the time of her death. A beautiful skier in her youth, Rosi embraced the mountains with the same grace, courage, and joy that defined her life, always carrying that sense of freedom and exhilaration in her heart.
Through a life of challenges and hardships, she forged a path for herself and others, turning every obstacle into a bridge of strength, compassion, and faith.
Rosalia is survived by her children, Dr. Gerhard Berberich (Cheryl) and Monika Berberich Wood (Mark); and her grandchildren, Dr. Erich Berberich, Walter Wood, Anthony Berberich, and Alexander Wood.
She is reunited at last with her beloved husband, Walter Berberich.
Calling hours will be held Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 4 pm to 7 pm in the Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held Friday at Resurrection Parish beginning at 11 am and burial will follow in Lexington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Cancer Society/Ovarian Cancer.
Her legacy of love, compassion, and resilience will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, especially her family and friends.
To preview her tribute video or to share a memory of Rosalia please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
Funeral Home: Lexington Avenue Snyder Funeral Home
Website: www.snyderfuneralhomes.com