Rose Redding Mersky

Rose died on the 11th of April 2025 – at the first days of spring.
What a very sad, tragic, outrageous but yet undeniable truth.
She was a person with so many aspects. She was a daughter, a sister, a student, a teacher, a lover, a wife, a colleague, a mentor, a researcher, a singer in a choir and a musician in a bluegrass group and so much more  …..
And many people all over the world loved and appreciated her.
And now she died on the 11th of April 2025 after a very short and very serious illness. She didn’t reach her 80th birthday and she still did have so many plans what she would like to do and experience. The only solace being that her death was without pain and a peaceful passing.

Obituary

Excerpts of the Funeral service for Dr Rose Redding Mersky
which took place in Germany, Solingen Gräfrath, Parkfriedhof, 2025-05-16
Introductory Music – Halleluja by L. Cohen
Words spoken by Volker Muhlack – Pastor in Solingen
Opening
Let our funeral service be characterised by God.
She is the source of life. Our home.
An oasis on our journey through life that sometimes may seem like a desert.
The gentle wind of God.
Let his pulsating energy turn towards us – in our thoughts and beyond – naturally, as God chooses,
because who could tell the wind what to do?
In this sense, we are together in a comforting freedom,
to say farewell to Dr Rose Redding Mersky, who died on 11 April at Essen University Hospital.
Her death touches us because her life touches us.
We remember Rose because she left her traces on our world.
In the life of her family of origin in the USA, in the lives of her friends,
in the life of Unisono, the Solingen Ketzberg gospel choir, and in her bluegrass circle in Cologne,
and in the lives of many students and teachers worldwide.
In the lives of all of us here, her companions.
Above the obituary we find a Shakespeare quote from the theatre play ‘The Tempest’:
‘We are such stuff - as dreams are made on,
and our little life is rounded with a sleep.’
That sums it up.
Rose lived out her dreams. She lived out her dreams courageously and passionately.  And she also suffered in hidden, dark dreams.
Let's gather / concentrate our thoughts.
Here - in front of the urn and the picture of Rose and the guitar - we experience the mystery of life. Yes, this mystery comes close to us in this room.
Let us be silent together for a few moments - silence - reverence for life.
You are a mysterious and friendly God.
The death of a cherished, beloved person catches us cold.
Thank you for our companions with whom we can share our lives.
Thank you that your sun shines on us and your light illuminates us.
Thank you for all the vitality we feel even in our grief.
Thank you for the wind, our breath, your breath of life that animates us.
You are the source of our being - and in Jesus, the Son of Man, you are close to us as a human being.
Strengthen us for the path of mourning; strengthen us through our memories of Rose and through our gratitude for her as we walk on our own paths through life. Amen.
This is the Lord’s doing - Song by ‘Unisono’ the Gospel Choir Solingen Ketzberg
Memories of Rose
… Let us not dwell only on her biographical, professional, and academic milestones.
Let us also remember her character: Cheerful carefreeness. Unbridled joie de vivre.
Open warm-heartedness. A friendly approachability. And yes, also shadows and fears.
I enjoyed her great empathy. Her tolerant openness.  These things were characteristic of her.
Let us remember her the way we got to know her.
Extract of “Air” by Bach – played bei Corinna Edelhoff
Spiritual impulse
I have tried to find inspiration in Shakespeare ... but I am a trained theologian, a pastor ... I found this phrase in the Hebrew Bible. I read Psalm 18 verse 20 in the translation by Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig:     He took me out into the vastness /distance,
untied me,
for he desires me.
Here a person speaks of his experiences. He speaks of experiences of liberation and expansiveness.
This person does not owe this wide space for living to himself alone. One might think that he is talking about another person. And it’s also my experience, that other people can help me to expand.
My thoughts go back to teachers in my school and university days. Education leads to the widening of thoughts (or mind?) and life. I think of friends and of joy who have helped me in the vastness.
But at this point there is a God to think of. A very specific one. Ha Shem - as he is still called in Judaism today, whereby he has always been a God for the entire human family. Ha Schem simply means ‘the name’. Out of reverence, people don't even pronounce the name, they simply say Ha Shem. In the history of religion, this God presented himself as the God who frees slaves from slavery. That did not exist until then. Until then and to this day, people have used deities to support their political power. Where does a god ever stand on the side of slaves? This one did. Why?
Ha Shem - prefers freedom and vastness, for life.
Rose has shared his preferences. She longed for space and lived it.
And she also had an inkling that we often stand in our own way - as if we were tied down. We need someone to help us and untie us. Untying happens through education. Also, through basic trust.
Also, through trust in God. And through a life in relationships.
The origin of everything is desire. Christian translations of the Bible prefer to speak of joy, sometimes also aptly of love. This Jewish man is not afraid to talk about desire. Let us give this God a chance. Let us give expansiveness and freedom a chance - it will do us good. Our world needs breadth / wideness, diversity - only then will we all find the space to live, to unfold - to blossom, like a rose. Like Rose.
Keep on the sunny side – played by the Bluegrass Group of Cologne
Prayer and blessing
You are a mysterious and friendly God.
We thank you for Rose's unique life story.
We look at the urn, the room - death.
We look at her photo, the flowers - life.
We look at the guitar - a sign of joy.
So I dare to say that Rose has found in you, the source of life, the sea of love, the destination of her life's journey. Because at the end of our search and our questions about life and about God - there are no answers, but a gentle embrace.
Rose, I bless you, in the name of God - Father and Mother - in the name of Jesus, the Son of Man, our fellow human being - and in the name of the Holy Spirit.
Rose - your life is unique and precious; may it be safe and complete in the space of God's broad love.
May everything that has come to your mind, everything that you have done, believed, and hoped for, all the love that you have given away, be blessed by the God who loves you.
Everything that you have taken in hand, tackled, and created, whether successful or unsuccessful or even unfinished, including all the guilt that you have brought upon yourself, may everything be accepted and completed by the God who loves you.
Everything you have been given, the easy and the difficult, joy and sorrow, everything you have borne, may it now be borne by the God who loves you.
Rose - He who thought of you from eternity, will never forget you in eternity.
Blessed be your exit and your entrance from now until eternity. Amen.
Shine your Light - Exit song by "Unisono" the Gospel Choir Solingen Ketzberg       
Now we escort the deceased to her final resting place. May the peace of God be with us all. Amen.
At the columbarium
Rose has completed her life's journey. Rose's origin lies in God and her fulfilment / completion lies in God.
We bow before the mystery of life. We respect death as our natural limit.
After Rose has died, we hand over her urn to her final resting place.
Rest in peace.
From earth we are taken, to earth we must become.
Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
This is how we express that man is finite.
We see the urn and remember the person who is no longer with us.
Those who have experienced good things through Rose, whom she loved, keep this memory with gratitude.
Those who were disappointed or hurt by her should forgive her in order to be free for their own lives.
May God forgive those who wronged her, those who owed her love, and may they also forgive themselves so that we can become free for our own lives.
In the face of de

Gallery

Memory wall

November 9, 2025

Rose was a friend from college and summer work in Nicaragua and several visits, just as friends, in our 60's.

A bright spirit. I can almost hear her laughter.

Julia Fankuchen

May 21, 2025

Finding it so hard to shape the words to say goodbye to my dear friend and collaborator Rose. So sorry not to have been able to see her, as planned, in Bristol this month (May 2025) when we had hoped to have a week long reunion to renew our friendship, to work together a little, and to celebrate the link between us that began nearly 15 years ago and has been a rich source of life and love. Farewell my dear Rose. I will miss you.
Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie Thomas

May 16, 2025

Dear Rose,
What an extraordinary woman you have been. I deeply value the work time we spent together over many recent years, where you amply demonstrated your commitment to mutual exploration and wisdom about the world of people in role in organisations.
I appreciate your strong empathy, sense of fun.. and the ridiculous, your insights and generosity.
I always left our meetings feeling seen, stimulated and enriched. It is a valuable gift that you bring to our time together.
Our afternoon tea in Sofia was our most recent memorable and fun event.
I (and Kerry) will miss you...and ..your contributions to us live on.

Rob Ryan

May 12, 2025

Dear Rose,
Thank you so much for your wonderful friendship. We met in Bristol in 2009, I was immediately impressed by your brightness, insightfulness, your reflective stance and how you managed emotions and worked with them, your honesty and authenticity.

Our friendship developed through the challenges of the PHD. We had the same supervisors. We shared the pain and joys of the work, but also fun. I knew that you were always there, and we could chat. We attended conferences together, especially ISPSO, where you have had such an important role. We continued our conversations regularly through the years, we visited each other.
The last time we saw each other was at Sofia's Airport where we had time to chat after the ISPSO Annual Meeting and the trip through Bulgaria. I would have never thought that it was the last time. During the AM you were so lively and happy, you danced, took care of many of us, led marvellously to the end of the day event.
I have so many memories which will stay with me, I will miss you a lot.
Love,
Louisa

Louisa Diana Brunner

May 9, 2025

Dearest Rose, we were very shocked to have lost you so soon and so unforeseen. You have been a friend, mentor, supervisor to me and despite that we have not met so often we always felt that very special connection. And you and Dirk connected so warmly. We had been very grateful to have had you with us for our wedding ceremony at the hottest day of that year. And we have been so happy for you and Hardy to have met and to celebrate life together after such a difficult period loosing Burkard. We can't, I can't fully understand yet that you won't be around anymore with your tremendous energy, aliveness and love. We miss you! Rest in peace! Kerstin & Dirk

Kerstin

May 7, 2025

From ISPSO:
It was with great sadness we received the news of the passing of Dr. Rose Redding Mersky, a distinguished member of ISPSO (www.ispso.org/Distinguished-Members-Post/Rose-Redding-Mersky). Rose was a beloved teacher, mentor, colleague, and friend to many in the global community of psychoanalytic and organizational studies. A pioneering force in the field of organizational consultancy, Rose brought depth, clarity, and emotional honesty to her work, which crossed sectors, borders, and disciplines.
Rose had that rare capacity to hold the complexity of organizational life, attuned both to systemic patterns and the subtle unconscious dynamics shaping human relations in the workplace. Her presence was grounded, thoughtful, and generous — qualities that made her a deeply trusted consultant and guide. Rose’s publication, The Social Dream-Drawing Workshop: A Handbook for Professionals, is widely regarded as an essential guide for those working with groups and individuals through change.
Among her significant contributions was the development of the Social
Dream-Drawing method — a groundbreaking approach that extended the work of social dreaming by incorporating the use of drawing to surface and explore unconscious themes within groups. It has become a powerful tool for organizations and individuals navigating profound transitions, offering access to unspoken emotional truths and communal imagination (https://dream-drawing.com).
Rose served as ISPSO’s first female president from 1997 to 1999, and
continued to shape our society’s direction as Director of Professional
Development from 2000 to 2006. Her long-standing involvement with
ISPSO reflected her commitment to building communities of reflective
practice, dialogue, and mutual learning.
Rose's legacy is carried not only in her intellectual contributions, but in
the many lives she touched with her wisdom, kindness, and fierce
commitment to emotional and ethical truth. She helped others find
meaning in their work and courage in their roles. Her voice, both elegant and searching, invited those around her to think more deeply — and to feel more fully — what it means to take up a role in the systems we inhabit.
Rose will be deeply missed but never forgotten. Her work continues in the practices she shaped, and in the hearts and minds of those she inspired.

Nicola

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