WESTFIELD – Luann Rose (aka Dee and Lanny), 75, (1951-2026) passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 9th, 2026, at home after 25 years of various health issues. She was born in Westfield to the late Clifton and E. Margery (Thebodo) Rose. A graduate of Gateway Regional, she received an associate’s degree from Bay Path University and worked in a neurosurgeon practice as a secretary and later as the office manager for a Springfield neurosurgeon. She was a receptionist at the Westfield Area Mental Health Clinic, and she worked as a temp for various medical facilities doing many different types of jobs. She ended her career at the Carson Center doing support work for therapists and art projects with some of the clients. Everywhere she went she made lifelong friends.
Luann was a very talented artist using various mediums: watercolors, acrylics, alcohol inks with a heat gun and more and she was fearless in her art and tried so many different approaches for the sheer joy of it all. She was a member of Arts West and enjoyed many events with her fellow artists, including their monthly meetings.
She was a 12+ year lung transplant survivor, and endured too many surgeries, procedures, ER visits and medical appointments (mostly at Brigham Women’s Hospital in Boston). She did not dwell on that with her friends and families. She was fiercely loyal to them and was always more interested in what was going on with them. She was empathic, kind, a great listener, strong in spirit, loving, funny, intelligent, inciteful….a person who good people gravitated to and treasured.
Luann is survived by her beloved and loving husband Kris Bodendorf of Westfield; a daughter, Kate Bodendorf of Easthampton; her brother John Rose (Ruth) of Westfield; nephew and niece and grandnephew Todd, Jill and Julius Rose; nephew Paul Rose; her cousin Anne Bodendorf (Kurt); nieces Kristin Botta (“Fonz”) and Karen Bodendorf (Jay); grandnephews and niece Angelo, Hunter and Alessia, and many more. She will be sorely missed by many, many people. She has been a bright light that will endure.
Her funeral will be held on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. in St. Mary’s Church, Bartlett Street, Westfield, visiting hours will precede the Mass from 9-11 a.m. in the Firtion Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA 01085. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Thomas J. O’Conner (where we got Wilson), Westfield Athenaeum, St. Mary’s Church, UNOS, or just become an organ donor like the person who saved her life did. Burial will be private and at the convenience of her family. www.firtionadams.com
