The Rosemary “Rosie” Billquist Memorial Fund has been established at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation following her death last month. Pictured is her husband, Jamie Billquist, along with Randy Sweeney and Tory Irgang of the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation next to a bench at UPMC Chautauqua WCA Hospital. Jamie and his wife Rosemary are pictured below. Submitted photos

Rosemary “Rosie” Billquist crafted a life that — in addition to working with animals and being an avid runner — revolved around helping others.

Following her tragic death last month in a hunting accident that garnered national attention, the Sherman native’s legacy will now live on in another form. The Rosemary Billquist Memorial Fund has been established at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation to “support organizations and causes that were closest to her heart,” the non-profit group said.

Once a year, money collected in fundraisers and other activities will be split between the pet program at Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care, the Chautauqua County Humane Society and the Southern Tier Kidney Association.

Rosemary Billquist, 43, was shot and killed Nov. 22 while walking her dogs near her home in Sherman. A neighbor said he thought he saw a deer when he fired a single shot in the dark, striking Rosemary Billquist in the hip.

In addition to her job at UPMC Chautauqua WCA, Rosemary Billquist also volunteered at hospice — oftentimes bringing pets to the patients she saw.

“This will be a way for people to remember her,” said her husband, Jamie Billquist, of the memorial fund. “We just figured this would be a good way to give to others like she would have wanted.”

Jamie Billquist said he hopes to one day create a scholarship for those interested in becoming a medical transcriptionist, a job his wife held for many years. And in order to help fund the memorial at the CRCF, he said he plans to host a 5K run or similar events at some point that will remind people of Rosemary Billquist’s passions.

“She was a big marathon runner,” Jamie Billquist said. “We might even create a scholarship for kids who want to run track or something like that.”

Randy Sweeney, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation executive director, said the foundation often comes into contact with individuals or groups during times of hardship. He said the creation of scholarships and memorial funds are a couple of ways to help ensure a legacy can continue.

“We’ve found if something positive can come from something tragic, it seems to help them,” Sweeney told The Post-Journal, noting that a fund, such as the one created for Rosemary Billquist, will continue on in perpetuity. “It will keep her name alive and her passions alive. It’s a way for the family to bring a little bit of positive to something that has certainly devastated their lives.”

Assisting with the pet program at Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care was certainly a passion for Rosemary Billquist, many of her friends and co-workers said. She volunteered with hospice for about six years, and often worked directly with patients with the help of animals.

Shauna Anderson, president of Chautauqua Hospice and Palliative Care, said Rosemary Billquist always went “out of her way” to help patients.

“She will be missed for her energy, compassion, enthusiasm and fun-loving spirit,” Anderson said, also praising Jamie Billquist for establishing the memorial fund for his wife that will help “carry on her legacy and ensure patients will know the joy of a pet visit at the end of life.”

Rosemary Billquist’s love of animals will be seen elsewhere in the community. Kellie Roberts, executive director of the Chautauqua County Humane Society said money given to the organization will serve more as an investment and used for a variety of programs that help animals in the long-term, not just immediate care.

“Rosemary seemed to have such a dedication to animals,” Roberts said. “It is heartwarming to see that dedication live on in this fund through the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation.”

In the meantime, Jamie Billquist said he has been overwhelmed by the support he has received from the community in the wake of his wife’s death. He said he has been sharing memories, including many photos, on social media to remind himself and her friends and family of the person she was.

“I’ve just been staying busy,” Jamie Billquist said. “I have my good days and my bad days, stuff like that. I have a lot of friends that have been helping me out.”

“I have been posting things to keep her memory alive,” he continued. “At night I’ll come home and just think about her. But I also know she wouldn’t want me to just sit around. That’s how she was.”

As for the memorial fund, Jamie Billquist is optimistic it will have a lasting impression on others, just as his wife did.

“People are already trying to change their lives for the better because of her,” he said.

Donations to the CRCF can be made online at crcfonline.org or by check made out to the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation. The foundation is located at 418 Spring St. in Jamestown.