Monica Rose

Monica J. Rose, age 89, of Melrose, died Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, January 26 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vince Lieser officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Freeport Women's Catholic Order of Foresters will pray at 4:30 p.m. followed by the Christian Mothers and Schanhaar-Otte VFW Auxiliary at 6:30 p.m. and parish prayers at 7:30 p.m.

Monica Rose was born November 17, 1917 in Oak Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Michael and Anna (Baumhoffer) Hiltner. She was united in marriage to Sylvester Rose on January 12, 1937 in New Munich. The couple resided in Freeport and in 1958 moved to Birch Lake where they owned and operated Vessies Resort. They moved to Melrose in 1970. Monica was employed at Jennie-O Foods in Melrose for many years. She enjoyed going to the casino, knitting and crocheting. Monica was a very artistic lady. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Christian Mothers, Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary, and the Freeport Women's Catholic Order of Foresters.

Survivors include her children, Lou Bushman and her husband, Roman of New Munich, Shirley Heidgerken and her husband, Charlie of Freeport, and Joyce Bjerke and her husband, Howard of New Brighton; 13 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren.

Monica was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Sylvester Rose on June 17, 1973; brothers, Bill, Ben, Peter, Martin, Joe, and Norb Hiltner; and sisters, Katie Hayda, Leona Tollefson, Minnie Van Heel, and Annie Pflipsen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Earl Bushman, Glen Bushman, Kai Kettler, Nathan Bjerke, Maynard Kettler, and Ben Austing. Serving as cross bearer will be Kim Wiener.