Rosemary P Hester (née Lynch)
Rosemary was born on March 5, 1930, in Santa Barbara, California, daughter of Arcadia Gutierrez and John Lynch, granddaughter of Alfredo Gutierrez and Clorinda Fidela Foxen, of the Foxen family whose lineage traces to Benjamin William Foxen, among Santa Barbara’s earliest settlers. Deeply rooted in her Catholic faith and Spanish heritage, she remained, at heart and in spirit, a Santa Barbaran her entire life. She grew up there, built her life there, and belonged to the fabric of the town itself—a link to an older Santa Barbara, a simpler time quietly fading.
She was known in Santa Barbara for her daily routines, café stops, and regular walks to Our Lady of Sorrows, her childhood church. A devoted walker well into her nineties, she was a familiar presence in town. Rosemary valued friendship, conversation, independence, and the simple pleasure of belonging to a community. She maintained deep and lasting friendships across decades, staying closely connected not only to her friends but also to their children—relationships she valued deeply and carried with her throughout her life. She was, in the best old-fashioned sense of the word, a lady—gracious and dignified.
She graduated from Santa Barbara Catholic High School, known locally as Dolores, where she was the salutatorian of her graduating class, and later pursued French studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She studied Italian, French, and German over the course of her life, but it was her lifelong devotion to the English language—its precision and nuance that most defined her intellect and voice.
An avid football fan, Rosemary cheered and jumped to her feet at every Notre Dame and San Francisco 49ers score, her enthusiasm unmistakable. She once aspired to be a sports journalist, drawn to the excitement of football and the stories behind the game. She worked for the Santa Barbara News-Press, Sentry Insurance, and Santa Barbara County Health Services, where she spent the latter part of her career. Forever curious about the world, she became a worldwide traveler after retirement, often journeying alone with an adventurous spirit well into her 80s.
In early 2022, Rosemary relocated to Corralitos, California, to live with her daughter Nicole and her husband, Patrick. In October 2023, she made her final, brave move to Ecuador. Her life came full circle as she returned to her Spanish roots and mother tongue.
The night before her death, she requested a good cup of coffee with real cream, thoughtfully preparing for a journey she imagined would take her back to Santa Barbara. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 2, 2026, in Ayampe, Ecuador.
Rosemary is survived by her brother, Jack Lynch, and his wife, Mary, of San Francisco, and their son, Geoffrey Lynch; and her four daughters: Andrea Giovannoni of Turin, Italy; Kim Brigham and her husband, Tim, of Arroyo Grande; Stephanie Barrett and her husband, Robert, of Vienna, Austria; and Nicole Bitter and her husband, Patrick, of Corralitos. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren spanning five generations, all of whom she loved very deeply.
During her final years in Ecuador, Rosemary’s granddaughter, Jenica Brigham, and her husband, Cesar, lovingly cared for her, ensuring her comfort and filling her days with farm-to-table food, fellowship, and animals in the beautiful home they designed and built for her. She was also tenderly supported by her devoted caregivers, Neicy and Juanita.
Rosemary is dearly missed by her loved ones, including her beloved turtle, Ollie.
A graveside service will be held on March 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., at Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to La Cosecha de los Sueños, an Ecuadorian orphanage she supported and cared deeply about:
