Born Robert Anthony Jones in England in 1939, she was the youngest of three sons. She enjoyed playing rugby in the under 19’s and commenced her medical degree in 1956 at the University of Bristol. She graduated MB.ChB. in 1962.

Rosie left Bristol in 1964 with wife Avril, arriving in Uganda to become a “Government Medical Officer”, they had two daughters, Stephanie and Helen.

As doctor and nurse, Rosie and Avril set to work in places like District Six, they were active politically against the Apartheid regime and they were also curious and adventurous, travelling extensively with their two girls throughout southern Africa.

In the 1970’s they returned to England, and then Rosie moved to Dubbo NSW for a locum, before eventually moving to Adelaide. In Adelaide she was an early adopter of the laparoscope for management of surgical conditions.

Rosie’s early writing demonstrated some of what her friends in her funeral eulogy called her “gender confusion”. On her website she describes the innate sense of individuals that have been “born into the wrong body”. She herself transitioned from Robert, to Rosemary.

As a member of the South Australian Gender Dysphoria Unit Rosie provided great care to members of the transsexual community. Her practice also focused on the care of women after the menopause, supporting their hormonal needs, including the use of testosterone and other forms of menopausal hormonal therapy.

She received her 35-year FRANZCOG fellowship medal in 2021.

Rosie married again, to Zena, described by family as the “love of both Robert and Rosie’s life”. She continued working until just a few weeks before her death, at the age of 84.

Rosie passed away on 28 January 2023.