Rosella N. Gartzke went to be with the Lord, our Savior, on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in Shawano surrounded by her family. She was born April 8, 1926, in the town of Deer Creek, Outagamie County.
She was the daughter of the late Louis and Mary Jane “Mamie” (McGlin) Nelson. She was baptized on May 27, 1926, with the Rev. Alfred Hoad officiating. Rosella was confirmed at the First Methodist Church in Clintonville with theRev. S.H. Wiese officiating on April 2, 1939.
Rosella graduated from Clintonville High School in 1944. She met the love of her life and married Robert Allen Gartzke at the First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay with the Rev. Dudley Uphoff officiating. While Bob attended school at the University of Madison, she worked at the Madison National Bank.
She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Robert Allen on April 3, 1964; and their youngest son, Garry, on June 18, 1985; two grandchildren, Heather Marie Greenwood (Jan. 3, 1981) and Heidi Lynn Hawkinson (April 13, 1991) and one great-granddaughter, Natalie Wenz; siblings and in-laws, Laura (Lester) Tellock, Mable (Eric) Strutz, Marion (Vernon) Werth, Esther (Herbert) Reimer, Blanche (Leo) Kautz, Reuben (Alice) Nelson and Dale (Ellie) Nelson; brother-in-law, James Kreklow; and in-laws, Gus and Ethel Gartzke.
Rosella was a member of the United Methodist Church where she served as a teacher, Sunday school superintendent, member of the administrative board, lay leader, officer in the United Methodist Women and chairman of the building committee. She was elected to the office of White Shrine, Guardian of Job’s Daughters, and a den mother for Cub Scouts. She served on the United Way board for two three-year terms and was secretary for two of those years.
Rosella worked at the National Bank in Clintonville, Madison and Shawano. She served as the secretary of the United Methodist Church from 1968-1976. In 1976, she was elected as the city of Shawano’s clerk-treasurer until her retirement in 1991. She served as secretary and president-elect of the State Association of Wisconsin Municipal Clerks and secretary of the city planning commission.
Rosella loved baking cookies, playing cards with her bridge club in her younger years and still playing solitaire until her death. She loved listening to music and had all six children take piano lessons. Thank you, Colleen, for playing hymns on the piano in her room on her last day she was with us. She loved it.
She is survived by her sister, Lois Kreklow, of Bear Creek; daughters, Sandra Greenwood, Green Bay, Susan (David) Hawkinson, Tomahawk, and Sheree Repinski, Shawano; sons, Robert M. Gartzke (Carleen Nowaczyk), Green Bay, and Greg (Vicki) Gartzke, Freedom; grandchildren, Eric and Emily Greenwood, Green Bay, Angie (Joshua) Perzee, Indiana, Katie Rose (Adam Carroll), Gresham, Kyle Repinski, Shawano, Rob (Mel) Gartzke, Green Bay, Sarah (Jesse Wenz), Green Bay, Wendy (Ben) Gruselle, Mount Pleasant, Jenna, Jared and Jolie Gartzke, all of Freedom. She is further survived by her great-grandchildren: Judah, Greta, Lilah, and Evelyn Gartzke, Green Bay, Rory, Noah and Grace Wenz, Green Bay, and Heidi Jo, Delilah, Wesley and Lydia Rose, Indiana; and many special nieces and nephews.
A funeral for Rosella will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 at United Methodist-Church on the Hill in Shawano with the Rev. Lynn Kollath officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Swedberg Funeral Home in Shawano from 4-7 p.m. on Friday and at the church on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
The family would like to express sincere thanks for the kindness that the staff and residents at Shawano Place showed our mom.