Rosemary Hemphill

Rosemary Hemphill

Rosemary Hemphill, 73, of Little Rock, Arkansas, peacefully passed away on Saturday, May 16, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

Born on November 10, 1952, in Little Rock, she was the cherished daughter of B.B. and Mary Chambers. Rosemary lived a life defined by her unwavering faith in God and her fierce strength to overcome insurmountable odds.

For many years, Rosie poured her heart into her love of cross-stitching. Her incredible talent for creating award-winning pieces was appreciated and loved by so many. Unbeknownst to many, Rosemary was also a talented singer in her younger years. She actively sang with a band, with whom she even made a record, and she found immense joy in music throughout her entire life. As her days became more difficult, her husband would still hear her singing, even through her deafness and deep suffering. In those moments, he knew all was right with the world.

Rosemary was happiest when she was chatting with her closest friends and family. She adored her online cross-stitch community, which became a deeply valuable part of her life as she became chair-bound. Through it all, Rose maintained the most amazing sense of humor, even in the most difficult of times. Her jokes and her joy will be something her family continues to share with each other each and every day.

Above all, Rosemary was dedicated to her family. She was a devoted wife to Tom for 50 years, and a deeply loving mother who taught her children that perseverance—even through the shadow of the valley of death—always brings joy on the other side.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Tom Marshall Hemphill; her children, Leslie Jean Nava, Katherine Conroy Silva, and Mason Marshall Hemphill; and her five beautiful grandchildren, Damien Nava, Ali Nava, Madeline Silva, Adrianne Silva, and Asher Hemphill. She is also survived by her beloved siblings, Robert Chambers and his wife Luann, and Bonnie Owens and her husband Doug, as well as several cousins with whom she held special relationships.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents, B.B. and Mary Chambers. She is now peacefully reunited with her precious son, Bryan Shay Hemphill.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Whitney & Murphy Bueler Mortuary, 14 W. Hulet Drive, Chandler, AZ 85225. 

In Lieu of Flowers please consider donating to the Children Tumor Foundation which is doing great work in supporting NF2 families as well as finding a cure for this very challenging disease, www.ctf.org.