Rosella “Rose” Hartke

Rosella “Rose” Lorrain (Slettedahl) Hartke, age 91, of  Wood Lake passed away Thursday, September 22, 2011 at St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield.  3

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake.

Visitation is one hour prior to services at the church.  Interment is in Echo Cemetery.

Rosella “Rose” Lorrain Slettedahl was born August 8, 1920 in Sioux Agency Township, near Echo, Minnesota to Paul and Anna (Oye) Slettedahl.  She was baptized and confirmed in the Wisconsin Lutheran faith by Rev. Troub.  Rose attended country school in Sioux Agency Township.  On March 30, 1938 she was united in marriage to George Hartke at St. John’s Church in Wood Lake.  Rose was a cook at the Wood Lake Public School for 16 years.  She was a cook at a restaurant by New Ulm for awhile, and then worked at Zytec in Redwood Falls for many years before retiring.  Rose belonged to the Birthday Club and was its last living member.  She enjoyed cooking, refinishing furniture, and making quilts for her family.

Rose is survived by her son Gerhardt (MerleAnn) Hartke of Wood Lake; daughters: Alicia (Franz) Helling of Hanska, Linda (Robert Sr.) Bunn of Montevideo, and Ruth (Ken) Koch of Waconia; 13 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; 3 sisters: Nora Busack of Echo, Bernice Marquart of Waconia, and Adella Kvendru of Belview; and many other relatives and friends.  She is preceded in death by her parents, daughters Roselie and Gloria, sister Cora Busack, brothers Palmer, Jonard, Prescott, Elmer and David; and granddaughters Barbra Leighton and Angela Koch Solomon.