Rosemary Pankey

Rosemary Pankey, a 61-year resident of Fallbrook, passed away in her sleep on February 21, 2009, at her daughter’s home in Gold Hill, OR. She was born on October 27, 1917, in Riverside, CA, the daughter of Ernest and Adella Carson Rickard.

She graduated from Hemet High School and Pomona College with a degree in chemistry. She worked in the pathology laboratory at Huntington Memorial Hospital until 1941, when she married Robert H. Pankey.

In 1946, Rosemary and Bob purchased a large parcel of land east of Bonsall now known as Pankey Ranch. Row crops and livestock were first grown on the ranch, followed by the planting of citrus and avocado orchards. Today, Pankey Ranch continues to be a commercial grower of lemons, oranges, and avocados.

Rosemary was active in many community projects and organized a Girl Scout troop in Fallbrook. She was a founding member of PEO chapter PF and member in the Fallbrook Angel Society, Fallbrook Historical Society, Palomar Orchid Society, Episcopal Church Altar Guild, and a Daughter of the American Revolution.

She enjoyed playing bridge and was a member of several bridge clubs. She participated in bridge tournaments and became a master point duplicate bridge player. She participated in the excavation of local archeological sites and was the co-author of “Tom-Kav,” published by the University of California, a book documenting the archeological research conducted along the San Luis Rey River.

Rosemary enjoyed growing flowers and had a large rose garden and two orchid hothouses. She diligently cross-pollinated different varieties of orchid and roses to produce new flower varieties. Rosemary also had a keen interest in genealogy and spent countless hours tracing her family’s ancestry. She was a member of the San Diego and New England genealogical societies.

Rosemary was preceded in death by Bob, her husband of 57 years. She is survived by brother Boies Rickard of Newport Beach; son and daughter in-law William and Rita Pankey of Fallbrook; daughter and son-in-law Jeanne and Martin Hendrix of Gardnerville, NV; daughter and son-in-law Loraine and Scott Folin of Gold Hill, OR; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was buried next to her husband at the San Jacinto Cemetery in Hemet, CA.