Roseann Walters (1929-2022)

WALTERS, HEINRICHS, FERKEL

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/12/2022 at 19:55:30

Roseann Walters, 92, of Milan, died Friday, July 8, 2022 at her home surrounded by family. A funeral service will be 11 am Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 201 E. 4th Avenue, Milan. Visitation will be from 4-6:30 pm Monday, July 11, 2022 at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Belmont Cemetery, Henderson County, Illinois.

Roseann's adventures started on August 30, 1929 when she was born to parents Arthur and Bertha (Henrichs) Ferkel on a farm near Joslin, Illinois. Her family consisted of six brothers and seven sisters (yes, 14 all together). Her first ten years were spent working hard on the farm and living in a two-bedroom home during the Great Depression. Walking 1/2 a mile each way, she attended school in a one room schoolhouse with a German teacher which gave her and all of her brothers and sisters an "accent" that was the trademark of the Ferkel family.

Her work career began at a young age at the Ice Cream Fountain in Moline, IL. Later in her teens she worked at the Hitching post as a cashier and the Maid Rite in East Moline to pay for her car. She was strikingly beautiful and Blackhawk Pilsner Beer had her star in a commercial at the age of 18. She later went on to work at John Deere Harvester, East Moline, retiring at the young age of 47 in 1977 after 30 years. She loved to bowl with her John Deere friends, and during the Korean War played her part by making canvas for the war while working at the factory.

In her early years, Roseann loved stock car races and even raced at the Coal Valley speedway. In her 20's she met her husband of 67 years, Gene Walters at the Sunset Inn. They loved playing shuffleboard but more than anything they loved to go dancing at the Col Ballroom. Many weekends the kitchen was filled with her brothers and sisters playing Euchre, laughing and yelling that they took the trick. After retirement Roseann became an avid cross-stitcher and quilter, making many beautiful pieces.

Roseann and Gene began their family and proceeded to have three daughters, Linda (Jim) Wood, Peggy (Lew) Wheeler, and Connie (Darin) VanTieghem. That blossomed into Grandchildren, Cristal (Rob) Manning, Nick (Sarah) Wood, Amber (Todd) Mettee, Justin (Samie) Welvaert, Cambria Davies, Camron Davies, and Nicole VanTieghem. Retiring at a young age allowed her to spend time with her grandkids that she loved dearly and would do anything for. She eventually had seven great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild with one on the way of which she was very proud.

Her sister Janice Rowan is the last living sister of the Ferkel Family. She lost her brothers, Wallace Ferkel Russell Ferkel, Leroy Ferkel, Ronald Ferkel, Donald Ferkel, Clifford Ferkel and sisters, Shirley Ferkel, Alberta Hinkhouse, Leone Thode, Evelyn Immosoete, Delores Boyd.