Rosemary Wheelock grew up on a farm near Zearing, Iowa in the second quarter of the twentieth century. The farm was without plumbing or electricity-but did have an eight-party telephone line. Her father and brothers farmed with horses-raising corn, soybeans, oats and hay. Their livestock consisted of dairy and beef cattle, hogs, chickens, and sheep. She and her older brothers attended the same one-room country school through eight grades, which their mother had also attended. Then Rosemary graduated from a small high school. She was a basket ball player, who made the all-county team, and was valedictorian of her graduating class.