Her Story
Margaret “Maggie” Marian Rossman died unexpectedly while giving birth in Louisville on September 27, 2023.Maggie lived a brief but wonderful life. She was a loving partner, daughter, sister, aunt; an enthusiastic educator, gifted scholar, incredible friend; an effervescent spirit; and a sparkling light to all.
Maggie was born January 10, 1984, in Battle Creek, Michigan. She graduated in 2002 from Battle Creek St. Philip Catholic Central High School, where she was valedictorian, class president, editor of the yearbook, captain of the basketball team, and a member of the volleyball team. She moved on to graduate from Harvard College in 2006 and then received a Master of Fine Arts in Film Studies at Boston University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Culture at Indiana University.She was married to Joshua Coonrod on July 17, 2021 in a beautiful mountain setting in Red River Gorge, Kentucky.
Surviving Maggie are her husband Josh, son Rory Cillian Coonrod, parents Roger and Mary Rossman, sister Caitie Rossman (Jonathon LeFaive), brother Alex Rossman (Jessica Zimbelman), twin nieces Arla and Zadie Rossman, as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She also is survived by parents-in-law Joe and Connie Coonrod, sister-in-law Amy (Thomas Jr.) DuMont, nephew Carter DuMont and niece Caroline DuMont.
Maggie loved her name and honored the lives of her namesake grandmothers: Margaret ODea Miller (who emigrated from Ireland in 1946) and Marian Rossman. From Margaret, she gained her Irish heritage and love for the study and performance of Irish step dancing from the ages of six to 18 years; and she was always ready to teach someone a jig or a reel. From Marian, she gained her love of books which carried her to the Ivy League and other halls of knowledge.Maggie was the rock of the family. She was her mother’s first born and her life. She always tried to emulate her mother’s need to take care of others. Maggie and her father shared an infectious joy and the same passions including watching every Michigan football and basketball game together even when in different states. They could talk for hours about sports stats or film noir. Maggie’s positivity brightened the darker hours and her ingenuity solved any problem faced from the ridiculous to the sublime. She added zest to special occasions making birthdays, holidays and showers all the more memorable.
Maggie had a close relationship with her siblings. She idolized her older brother Alex and from an early age emulated his dress style of Starter jackets and fancy sneakers, as well as his taste in music. She loved being an aunt to Alex’s daughters. Maggie had a deep connection with her beloved sister Caitie, who viewed each other almost as twins. They enjoyed traveling the world together, whether it be a heritage trip in Ireland, swimming with manatees in Florida, or cuddling with koalas, wombats and kangaroos in Australia. They shared a secret sister language and held an unalterable bond that surpassed sisterhood. They carried each other’s hearts.
Maggie and Josh had an inspiring love that could be seen by anyone in an instant. They perfectly complemented each other and found their match when they started graduate school together. Maggie and Josh loved frequenting state fairs, amusement parks, and music and film festivals, and explored the dive bar and barbeque scenes in Indianapolis and Louisville. Whether traveling or at home, they would talk long into the night about popular culture — the new music by their favorite bands, the most recent exploits of celebrity personalities, and the latest movies they had seen, whether they were Hollywood blockbusters or obscure indie films.
Maggie was a born teacher and taught college courses at Boston University, Indiana University and Butler University, where she was a teaching fellow, prior to becoming an assistant professor of communications at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. She was loved by her students for the devotion and special attention she gave to them. She often spoke about the fulfillment and inspiration that she got from seeing her students develop in the classroom, and connecting that to her own experiences as a student. At Bellarmine, she was also able to continue her provocative academic work on fandom, media and gender, and share her research with the academic world through publishing and presentations at conferences.She was a friend to everyone she met — she had an inimitable ability to connect with others, and show them love and respect.Maggie always found ways to maintain her creative spark.
Wherever she was, she loved continuing her tradition of incredible Halloween costumes, always incorporating Josh and their dog Brick. She was always excited to experiment in the kitchen, especially if it involved adventurous baking. She went to remarkable lengths to create art pieces for her family to show how special they were to her. She relished every opportunity she had to spend time with the wide circle of old friends she had made across the country, from California to Indiana to Massachusetts. Once you were a friend to Maggie, you were never far from her heart.
Joy, love, enthusiasm, brilliance, humor, and beauty — we will always associate these qualities with Maggie, and cherish her memory very dearly. She will shine brightly, as an inspiration for us to love and appreciate each other forever.
