Rose Carbone hasn’t been in Portage that long, but she’s already been making her mark in town.
Carbone moved to the area from Countryside, Illinois just two years ago after she and her husband decided to retire. Since the cost of living is lower in Indiana, she explained it was the most effective means to stay close to family and friends in the Chicago area upon retirement.
“Portage is about an hour from Chicago, so that's why we decided to move here,” Carbone said. “It seemed like a friendly little town. When we came here, everybody was so nice. It just seemed homey and friendly.”
One reason Carbone wanted to stay in the area is family. She has three children and nine grandchildren living in the region.
“My family means everything to me,” Carbone said. “They bring me joy. They bring me hope for the future.”
Carbone is a member of the American Legion Post 260 auxiliary. When she has time, she goes over to the post to volunteer. Carbone works the fish fries, Super Bowl parties and other events at the post. When Memorial Day comes around, she helps with putting the flags out for the ceremony.
There is a strong military tradition in Carbone’s family. Her brother had a career in the military prior to retirement. Her uncle was in Vietnam, and her grandfather served in World War II. However, military service goes back even further in her family.
“We go all the way back to the Civil War with our family,” Carbone said. “I saw a documentary where my great-great-great-grandfather was given money to join.”
Carbone took early retirement from American Airlines while living in Illinois. The airline went through a corporate restructuring, a bankruptcy, and a merger with U.S. Airways prior to her retirement. At first, she retired to spend more time with a sick grandchild. However, she reconsidered and worked for another company for five years just before moving to Portage.
Carbone was still not ready to retire upon moving to Portage. She took the position of office manager at Calvary Cemetery to satisfy her need to work. The cemetery was struggling when Carbone started. Under her watchful eye and guidance, things have started to improve.
“I came in like a bull in a china cabinet and started fixing things,” Carbone said. “At American Airlines, I worked in facility maintenance. We were responsible for the entire American terminal. I learned a lot about dealing with vendors and getting things done, and this place needed that.”
Carbone calls Jubilee Worship Center in Hobart her church home. She describes the church as progressive. Carbone said they try to make it to church every Sunday, but if not, God has a reason for it. She prays every day to give her strength for the rigors and stress her job can sometimes bring her. When Carbone finds herself in church, she’s happy to see parents bringing their children to worship.
“I like that there's a lot of children involved,” Carbone said. “If the children continue attending, that means the church isn't going to die. I like that. I like the Word. I also like the people there. They've been very kind and very nice.”