Cevia H. Rosol 1936 – 2022 SILVER SPRING – Cevia Highstein Rosol, 86, born to Charles and Jeanne Highstein in Baltimore, Md., on April 18, 1936, passed peacefully on December 28, 2022, in Silver Spring, Md.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, George Rosol, and is survived by a family of eight children and their partners: I. Michael Snyder (Phyllis English), Carol Snyder Rubin, Sheppard Snyder (Dorene Snyder), Jonathan Snyder (Rachel Pratt), Joseph Rosol (Lynn Rosol), Martin Rosol (Paul Hazen), Richard Rosol (Enrico Cittadino), Susan Tuveson (Dennis Riendeau); 12 grandchildren Aaron English, August Snyder, Benjamin Snyder, Colleen Tolley (Carl Tolley), Danielle Milcic (Andy Milcic), Genevieve Snyder, Kevin Snyder (Valeria Snyder), Lauren Rubin, Lea Spencer (Jesse Spencer), Akira Sano, Meredith Rosol, and Rebecca Rosol; and three great-grandchildren, Griffin, Hannah and Riley Milcic.

Born to parents who immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine and Lithuania, Cevia grew up in Baltimore with two siblings, Norman Highstein and Harriet Highstein Brown, now deceased. A lover of music, Cevia and her cousin Philip Glass frequently accompanied one another growing up. While Philip became a professional composer, Cevia pursued her love of music avocationally throughout her life.

Cevia married Sidney Snyder, also deceased, in 1954 and together they raised their four children, Carol, Michael, Jonathan and Sheppard, before separating in 1976.

Cevia's passion for singing led her to meeting George while singing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. They married in 1979 in Princeton, N.J., moved to New Hampshire and settled in Maine. Wherever they went, Cevia and George took an active part in their communities, volunteering regularly and bringing joy to others through their love of music in Kittery, Peaks Island, and Brunswick, where they retired.

Cevia holds a bachelor's degree from Towson University, which she completed when her children were grown. Over the years, she worked for Essex Community College, Educational Testing Service (ETS), the United States Tennis Association, RCA, Portsmith Rare Books, and later opened and operated a bed and breakfast, the Gundalow Inn, in Kittery, Maine.

Cevia was also a master of words, which she exhibited through her professional editing and prowess at the game Scrabble, beating family competitors well into her 80s. She was also a whiz at crossword puzzles, tackling the New York Times crosswords with ease at the breakfast table with George. A skilled editor, Cevia helped George publish This Island Life, a collection of his columns in the Peaks Island Times. Together, the duo published dozens of crossword puzzles in the island paper for many to enjoy. She even played Wordle with family, sharing her scores in a family text group dedicated to the game.

As with word games, her passion for music extended from childhood to her final days. On Peaks Island, George and Cevia sang in a quartet, The Uncalled Four. She also helped write two plays for children and a musical, Sox, which starred 50 of the island children. Both Cevia and George were members of the Renaissance Voices of Portland for 21 years, which honored both at their recent holiday concert. Hardly a day went by without Cevia sitting down to play piano. A talented homecook (her blueberry soup won first prize at a festival in Wilton, Maine), Cevia created the Red Pot Cookbook for her family, named for the vibrant vessel she used to whip up many beloved family meals. She even gifted bound copies of the book to family a few years ago for all to enjoy her recipes. In the cookbook, she wrote the following poem: Beautiful pot, so bright and red, Seeing that all my children are fed. Fill it with soup, fill it with glop, Take it from stove to table top.

Beautiful book of things to eat -

It isn't anywhere near complete.

I haven't divulged my whole recipe file,

So you'll still call me once in awhile.

"For all my children," she wrote, "with love." According to their wishes, Cevia will be cremated and her ashes mingled with George's. A celebration of Cevia's life and an open house will be held at Argyle Country Club in Silver Spring, Maryland on January 10 from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Kaddish will be said at 4 p.m.

A joint event will be held on Peaks Island, Maine in the late spring. During that celebration, George and Cevia's ashes will be together scattered on Peaks Island, the place they loved so dearly.

Details of the Maine celebration will be published on the Sagel Bloomfield Funeral Care website. ( https://www.sagelbloomfield.com ).

Contributions of gifts of tzedakah in Cevia's memory may be directed to: Renaissance Voices of Portland, Maine ( https://renaissancevoices.net ) or: Freedom House/Ukraine Fund ( https://freedomhouse.org ).

Hebrew name:

‎צביה בת ישראל צדוק ויאנטה בלומה

Zvia bat Yisrael Zadok va Yanta Bluma