Rose Millman Karbank

November 9, 1925 - April 2, 2013

Rose Millman Karbank, 87, of Overland Park, KS, died peacefully on April 2, 2013. Private family services. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Harriman-Jewell Series, Village Shalom, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy or Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care. She was born November 9, 1925, the youngest of 5 children of Russian immigrant parents, Zachary and Jennie Millman in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Rose moved with her family to Brooklyn, NY, when she was seven years old. Fluent in French and Yiddish, Rose entered Brooklyn College on her sixteenth birthday. During WWII, Rose heard that the government desperately needed physicians and nurses overseas. With free tuition and a $20 a month stipend, she enrolled in the nursing program at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. She received the rank of Lieutenant and became a registered nurse with the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. One night while working in surgery in 1949, she received a frantic call from her brother-in-law Buddy Eisen, in Kansas City, saying that her 2-year-old niece had contracted polio. Rose immediately left for Kansas City to care for her. After 2 weeks, Buddy introduced Rose to his friend, Barney Karbank, saying “Barney, do me a favor. Take out my sister-in-law. You don’t have to marry her”. Five months later they were married. The marriage of Barney and Rose lasted 56 years until Barney passed away in 2005. Barney and Rose were a formidable couple. They raised 4 children, traveled the world, and left a fine legacy to their family and the community. Rose loved music, especially opera, and for many years sang in the Beth Shalom Synagogue choir. She and Barney were avid concertgoers and enjoyed performances at the Harriman-Jewell series, the Kansas City Symphony, and the Lyric Opera. Rose was known for her graciousness, her impeccable taste, attention to detail, and magnificent handwriting. Rose was a life member of Hadassah, Beth Shalom Synagogue and its Sisterhood, and a life-long supporter of many civic and Jewish causes. She is survived by brother-in-law and sister-in-law Buddy and Estelle Eisen, brother-in-law Joe Karbank, children, Marcia Karbank and Joseph Smuckler, Diane and Mark Davidner, Neil Karbank, Steven and Jeannette Karbank, grandchildren Jessica and Aaron Kroll, Gregory and Ashley Nerman, Bradley and Erin Smuckler, Lisa and Neil Rothstein, Alissa and Gregory Pool, Jennifer and Frank Cattano, Mia and Adam Feldman, Rachel and Claude Einstein, Shana and Alexander Rasnavad, Benjamin Karbank, Nathaniel Karbank, Octavio Karbank, and 15 great-grandchildren, Isabella, Madelyn, Ethan, Hannah, Marah, Sophie, Gabrielle, Zachary, Alexandra, Lucy, Gemma, Brody, Sydney, Chloe, Ari, and many nieces and nephews. We would like to thank Rose's wonderful caregivers Bernise, Rosetta, Vera, Stacy, LaToya, Roseatta, Clara, and the staff of Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care.