Rose C. Heikes, 97, of Dexter Township, Minn., died July 4, 2012, in Clara City, Minn.
- Rose C. Heikes
Rose Clara Florence Goetsch was born on May 9, 1915, in Dexter Township of Mower County to Otto Goetsch and Johannah (Baumgartner) Goetsch. She was one of nine children, one of whom died in infancy. She was baptized as an infant at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dexter Township. She attended rural school at District 121, and later attended parochial school located near her church. She was confirmed in her faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in 1929.
Rose’s mother died when she was twelve and she spent her teen years taking care of the home with her grandmother for her father and brothers. When she was 17, her grandmother died, and she began doing housework and child care for various families in the Austin area.
On Nov. 14, 1936, she was united in marriage to Joe Heikes at Trinity Lutheran Church. To this union, three children were born, Myrtiss, James and Ruth. Joe and Rose resided in Dexter Township, spending most of their married life on their farm east of Brownsdale until they moved to their home in Austin in 1984.
Rose worked beside Joe on the farm, where she raised many chickens and helped wherever help was needed. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday school for 20 years, taught Bible school, and held various offices in the Ladies Aid and the Ladies Circle. She loved visiting shut-ins, nursing homes, and cared for various relatives that needed special help.
Rose suffered a debilitating stroke in September of 2000 and after that resided at the Clara City Care Center in Clara City until her death. She continued visiting the bedridden and reading to residents for many years at the nursing home.
Rose was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1994; her son-in-law Elmer Weckwerth in 1999; her son, James, in 2009; her sisters Louise, Tillie, Lydia, Elsie, and Alma; her brothers Harvey, Art, and Leonard and their spouses; also all of Joe’s eleven siblings and their spouses.
She is survived by her daughters Myrtiss (Norman) Riediger of Willmar, Minn. and Ruth (Dr. Ray) Dusseau of Pewaukee, Wis.; her daughter-in-law, Carole Heikes of Hutchinson, Minn.; her grandchildren Kimberly Heikes, Kevin (Gloriann) Heikes, Wyatt (Heather) Weckwerth, Kandice Kath, Heidi (Craig) Witz, Kari (Steve) Rettig, Robert (Cathy) Dusseau, Michelle Dusseau, Keith (Tess) Heikes; 15 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by step-grandchildren Galen (Susan) Riediger of West Salem, Wis. and Duane (LeeAnn) Riediger of Arkansas City, Kan. and nine step-great-grandchildren.
The funeral service for Rose will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 7, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastor David Flesichmann officiating. A visitation will be held on Friday evening from 3 to 5 p.m. in Clara City. Interment will take place at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.
Blessed be her memory.
