Rose Marie (Resch) SPETH

SPETH, RESCH, GRATZ, CHRISTY, SCHULTZ, STOIKES, BLACKWELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/6/2010 at 18:34:38

Rose M. Speth, 73, died Sunday, April 4, 2010 at her home in Belmond following a battle with lung cancer. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 8 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Burial will be in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery at Alma Center, WI. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 7 from 4- 7 p.m. at Andrews Funeral Home in Belmond. There will be a Parish Rosary at 6:45 p.m. and Christian Wake at 7 p.m. at the funeral home Wednesday. There will be no viewing at the church on Thursday as the family will be gathering at the funeral home to process to the church preceding mass.

Rose Marie, the third of six children of George and Lenore (Gratz) Resch, was born in Ontario, WI on August 25, 1936. The family loved singing harmony, and it was a large part of their daily lives. Rose attended Ontario Schools, graduating in 1954, and also attended LaCrosse State Teacher's College for a year. She enjoyed working with children and babysat for many, starting when she was nine. She worked in Barrington, IL as a nanny for a time. In 1958 she and daughter Lisa moved to Sumner where she accepted a job caring for the household and three children of Norbert Speth, who had just been widowed. Rose also joined the local Catholic Church, and there began her love affair with liturgical music. On July 12, 1961 Rose and Norbert married. He adopted her daughter, and in 1964 they completed their blended family when son Steve was born. Steven died in 1992. In 1972 Norbert's job took the family to Winona, and Rose joined the choir at St. Mary's. In September of 1979, the older children being grown and gone from home, Norbert, Rose and Steven, moved to Belmond due to another company transfer. Norbert retired in 1984 and bought a chainsaw. He and Rose spent many enjoyable hours out in the woods cutting wood for their fireplace. Rose joined the choir at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, and in 1996 began planning liturgical music for the parish. The "volunteer" job expanded, and for many years she did the planning and coordinating of all aspects of the program until illness made her give up the job in March 2007. Rose was an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and a volunteer at the Belmond Health Care Center. In her spare time she liked doing any kind of puzzle, playing bridge, and just being with friends. She hosted Easter and Thanksgiving for many family members and enjoyed doing all the cooking. She will remembered for her strong faith, straight forward beliefs, and unselfish love for others.

She was preceded in death by her parents and son Steven. Survivors include her husband; son Dan Speth of Tahlequah, OK; daughters Susan (Rick) Christy of Dysart, Linda (David) Zahn of Pepin, WI and Lisa (Dan) Schultz of Winona; sisters Rita (Carl) Stoikes of Prairie du Sac, WI, Mary Resch of Los Angelos, CA and Georgia (Andy) Blackwell of Sumerduck, VA; brothers Joe (Sue) Resch of Beloit, WI and John (Bernita) Resch of Milton, WI; ten grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

April 6, 2010
Belmond Independent -Belmond, Iowa