Rose Fehrenbach's versatility allowed her to enjoy a wide range of theatrical experiences spanning four decades.

Endowed with a strong, vibrant voice and perfect pitch, she innocently launched her career while a student at St. Benedict's School, singing and playing the organ with the children's choir.

After honing her skills under the tutelage of local music teacher Florence Sage, Fehrenbach earned a scholarship to a private Chicago music school. Upon graduation, she signed a contract as a concert pianist in an act that included a reader and a violinist.

She was feature guest soloist at the dedication of the new St. Benedict's Church on June 18, 1899.

Though never achieving the level of dramatic fame enjoyed by her Terre Haute contemporaries Rose Melville and Valeska Suratt, Fehrenbach successfully tested legitimate theater, light opera and vaudeville under the stage name of Marie Roslyn.

She was among the first women to play the piano accordion on an American stage.

The daughter of Joseph and Rosalyn (Herr) Fehrenbach, Rose was born Oct. 9, 1880, at 936 S. First St. Her father worked successively for Terre Haute Car Co. and Fairbanks & Duenweg distillery while she and her older brothers attended school.

The family also lived at 631 S. First St., 1220 Sycamore St. and 1324 Sycamore St. during her childhood.

Early in her professional career, Rose met Joseph Edward Pierce, a competent actor and an extraordinary tenor. The pair worked well together and became a vaudeville team billed as "A Whirl of Melody."

As they gained experience, Pierce and Rose secured contracts assuring payment if they did not perform through no fault of their own. For many years, vaudeville paid better than musical comedy or opera and usually required fewer exhibitions.

Creating a variety of routines using original costumes, Pierce and Rose earned high marks. Their skit of the Toreador scene from the opera "Carmen" became a trademark, performed alternatively in Spanish and Indian apparel.

Rose's Indian costume later was presented to the Vigo County Historical Society.

In 1907, the pair was managed by Marc Klaw and Abraham L. Erlanger, founders of the Gaiety Theater on Broadway and associates of George M. Cohan. Eventually, they joined the Pantages vaudeville circuit and toured Canada and the Pacific Coast.

Born on the Greek island of Andros in 1876, Alexander Pantages made a major impact on American entertainment, amassing considerable wealth through the ownership of 70 vaudeville theaters. Eventually his notorious amorous capers became his undoing.

While living in Alaska in 1904, Pantages was linked with "Klondike Kate" Rockwell, who sued him for breach of promise to marry. Years later, he was indicted for assaulting 17-year-old New York vaudeville chorus girl Eunice Pringle.

Convicted of rape, Pantages was sentenced to 50 years in prison. The conviction was reversed on appeal and he was exonerated by a second jury. However, legal expenses exhausted his fortune and Pantages was forced to sell his theaters to RKO Pictures.

Before Pantages' demise, Pierce and Rose had transferred their allegiance to the rival Orpheum and Keith circuits and embarked on several successful world tours. They were married in England in August 1915.

During their travels, the Pierces performed in principal cities throughout Europe, India, Australia and South Africa, gave a command performance for King George V and Queen Mary, and had a private audience in Rome with Pope Pius XI.

In 1925, the popular couple recorded "Fairy Tales of Ireland" and "County Down" for the Sunset Record Company of Los Angeles with Rose singing and playing the piano.

Throughout her career, Rose stayed in touch with her Terre Haute family, corresponded with the local press and returned often for visits.

Brothers Will, Frank and Gabriel Fehrenbach remained in Terre Haute. Brother Joseph Fehrenbach eventually moved to Detroit. Rose took her widowed mother - who lived with Will at 1408 S. Eighth St. - with her on several American tours.

In 1935, Pierce accepted a role in "The Mystery of the Mary Celeste," a motion picture about the mysterious disappearance of 12 people aboard a 103-foot New Zealand brig found abandoned 600 miles west of Gibraltar on Dec. 14, 1872.

While on location in England, Pierce was diagnosed with anemia and hospitalized. Though he seemingly recovered from that ailment, he suddenly was stricken by a heart attack and died on Nov. 7, 1937.

Rose went into seclusion for several months but was encouraged to return to the London stage. She performed concerts at several opera houses until World War II intervened in 1940 and her brothers persuaded her to come home.

Until she became seriously ill while performing at Albany, N.Y., during August 1942, Rose appeared regularly in concert houses throughout the United States.

Rose resided with Will until she was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital, where she died May 3, 1943, at age 62. She is buried in Terre Haute's Calvary Cemetery.