I give gratitude to God for the beautiful gift of Rosemary Kowalski and her 100 years of life. My prayers are with the family of our sister as we mourn her passing but smile in memory of her inspiration to so many of us in the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the greater community.
I am grateful for her generosity and the vivid example she shared with us, as to what it means to serve Christ and His people. She constantly credited her Catholic upbringing for her philanthropic spirit.
Rosemary is a legend, one of the city’s most successful businesswomen, whose catering company, The RK Group, has served hundreds of thousands – if not millions — of meals for the past 70 years across Texas, the United States, and around the world.
This now international enterprise had humble roots, with Rosemary and her husband opening their first barbecue restaurant on Zarzamora Road in 1946. She said in an interview that one day a customer asked about catering for his church bazaar and, “to tell the truth, I wasn’t even sure what ‘catering’ was!”
Her positive outlook, strong work ethic, focus on excellence, and “Rosemary-isms” are part of local lore: “Always say please and thank you,” “The back door is just as important as the front door,” “Treat everyone with a smile,” and “Attitude is everything.”
From a key role in HemisFair 68, where Rosemary worked to help the city secure the event then provided service and staffing for the pavilion booths, to being the food service provider for the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center for half a century, she said her most amazing experience was being chosen to offer Pope John Paul II all of his meals when he visited San Antonio in 1987.
On his final morning in San Antonio, instead of a big breakfast, all the Holy Father wanted was an apple. Rosemary found an apple, polished it, and handed it to him. That encounter was the inspiration for the logo of RK Cares, the company’s philanthropy initiative, which has a hand serving an apple with a little halo over — a nod to Pope John Paul II and Rosemary.
But to Rosemary all her meals, and the people she served, were very important. That emphasis on service extended for decades to her philanthropic endeavors for the archdiocese in many capacities, such as San Fernando Cathedral, Catholic Schools, Hope for the Future (Rosemary was the honoree at their gala earlier this year), Catholic Charities (appearing at their Thanksgiving food distribution event to thank volunteers just three weeks ago), and numerous others – giving of her time, talent, and treasure as a true steward.
Her faith shined in everything she did and what she did, she did not for personal recognition, but for the honor and glory of God. May she rest in peace.
