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Rose M. Loncher, 74, of Arlington, Va., died Friday, Aug. 20, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. in Inova Alexandria Hospital following a two-month illness with leukemia.

She was born Feb. 22, 1936, in Tyrone, Pa., a daughter of the late Martin and Rose Creppage Loncher.

A 1954 graduate of Tyrone High School, Rose relocated to Youngstown, Ohio, where she studied business and secretarial skills at Youngstown College (now Youngstown State University). She was a member of the Alpha Iota business sorority, where she served as chapter president and was proud of having been able to get the sorority out of debt under her leadership.

While in Youngstown, she worked as a secretary for U.S. Steel.  In 1960, Rose moved to Arlington, Va., where she has resided for the past 50 years.

She worked as a legal secretary specializing in patent law at various Washington D.C., law firms, including Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, and most recently Kenyon & Kenyon, from where she retired in 2007.

Rose was an avid photographer, dog lover, and a world traveler, having visited the former Soviet Union, Ireland, England, Morrocco, and numerous other countries, and was  a member of the Shillelaghs, the Travel Club of Vienna, Va.

A devout Catholic, she was a member of St. Matthew’s Church in Tyrone, Pa., and St. Agnes Church in Arlington, Va.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents; a sister, Barbara E. ``Libby’’ Loncher of Youngstown, Ohio, an aunt, Catherine Minerich Trimer of Tyrone, Pa., who had reared her; and numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins.

Rose is survived by her cousin with whom she was raised, Mary Catherine ``Cass’’ (Timothy) Abraham of Niles, Ohio; an aunt, Barbara Stockovich of Granada Hills, Calif., formerly of Youngstown, with whom she resided in Ohio; numerous cousins in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Washington, Oregon and Virginia, all of whom affectionately referred to her as ``Cousin Iggy,’’ and a host of wonderful friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew’s Church, Tyrone, Pa. Calling hours will be Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home, 115 W. 10th St., Tyrone, Pa. 16686. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Tyrone, Pa.