WYALUSING VALLEY MOTORSPORTS PARK
WVMP Loses Head Scorer Audrey Rosengrant
Audrey Rosengrant, the head scorer at WVMP since opening in 2006, passed away Thursday, January 28, 2010 at the Robert Packer Hospital following a 6 week long illness. She had been in the intensive care unit since the week before Christmas, and had been undergoing treatment for here illness as well as several other complications.
Audrey was just one of many terrific people I've met through motorsports. I met she and husband Mike Rosengrant at Tioga Speedway in Owego, NY, where I competed in a modified. They were on the crew of a fellow mod competitor, Justin Ely from Tunkhannock. One night in 2001, I found myself running 2nd with a few laps remaining, and Ely was leading. We were both in search of our first mod win. I had fast enough car to get to his bumper, but the only way I could have passed him would have been to knock him out of the way. As badly as I wanted to win, I knew it was wrong to take his first win away in that manner and settled for 2nd. I went to victory lane to congratulate that team. After that, our freindship began.
Justin quit racing about the time I retired, and Audrey and Mike found themselves with time on their hands. I ran into them at a car show in the spring of 2006, and they said if I ever needed help at the track, let them know. I immediately took them up on their offer, and our freindship grew from there.
Soon after, Mike fell ill and passed away. I asked Audrey to take that week off, but she refused. She said she didn't want to stay home and dwell on losing him, and that it was easier to deal with if she kept busy and among freinds. In the 4 years we worked together at the track, she only missed one or two races as she went on vacation (to watch cup races at that!). During those 4 years, she always made time to represent WVMP at parades in the summer, did some landscaping around victory lane on several occasions, bought bulk candy and bagged for the kids at the concession stand, did the decorating at the banquets, and ran herself ragged on race day scoring, and getting lineups posted. She forged a very close freindship with pit office manager Theresa McClaskey while helping sign racers in. So much so that I have often referred to Audrey as my right hand, and Theresa as my left.
We spent so much time working together at the track, and had so much fun doing it, that many thought that she was my wife (and I'll bet a few still do). This "mistaken identity" led to an inside joke between Audrey and my wife, Darlene, who called each other "sister-wife".
Words cannot describe how saddened this loss... OUR loss... makes me. Her death leaves a void that cannot be filled. But her dedication to WVMP fills me with determination to press on in a way that would make her proud, and that is just what we must all do.
To her family, including WVMP competitor Bill Wells, please know that you are not alone in feeling this loss... you do not suffer alone... and we are all praying with you, and for you.
Below is the obituary for Audrey, with funeral information for those that have requested it:
Audrey J. Waldorf Rosengrant
Audrey was born Aug. 20, 1960 in Sayre, Pa., the daughter of James B. Waldorf Jr. and the late Helen Benjamin Waldorf. She was employed by Mercy Tyler Hospital in Tunkhannock and the Davis Personal
She is survived by: her father, James B. Waldorf Jr. of Meshoppen, Pa.; sons, David and Bill Wells of Meshoppen, Pa.; sisters, Becky (Virgil) Root of Meshoppen, Pa., Tina (Dave) Plageman of North Carolina, Linda (Paul) Bump of Monroeton, Pa., Reva Wagner of Rome, Pa., Connie (Bill) Moser of Berwick, Pa.; a brother, Gerald Howard of Wysox, Pa.; sister-in-law, Carol (Matt) Vogel of Tunkhannock, Pa.; brother-in-law, Leon "Butch" Rosengrant of Connecticut; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins; her loving
She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael Rosengrant, on March 29, 2007; mother, Helen Waldorf, on April 23, 2009; sister, Genevieve "Judy" Evans on Oct. 20, 2009.
The family extends their greatest appreciation to the doctors and
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, 2010 at the Maryott-Bowen Funeral Home, 217 York Ave., Towanda, Pa. with the Rev. Thomas Geiger, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, Towanda, officiating. Interment will follow in the Monroeton Cemetery, Monroeton, Pa.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service Monday afternoon at the funeral home. The family will provide their own flowers and requests that memorial contributions in Audrey's memory please be directed to Becky Root, 2946 Route 267, Meshoppen, PA 18630.
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YOU ARE NIGHTMARE #
Audrey Rosengrant after receiving WVMP's Dedication to Motorsports Award in 2009.
