Rose Gacke

Rock Valley, IA: Rose M. Gacke, 96, of Rock Valley, Iowa died Sunday, February 25, 2018 at Whispering Heights in Rock Valley. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, March 1 at 10:30 AM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Rock Valley with Father Douglas Klein officiating. Burial will follow a luncheon at 1:00 PM at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Wednesday, February 28, at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley from 5:30-7:30 PM with a prayer service to follow at 7:30 PM.

Rose Marie Gacke, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Van Cruchten) Daniels, was born on the family farm north of Larchwood, Iowa on August 27, 1921. She graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Larchwood in 1940. Rose was united in marriage with Anthony Gacke on April 10, 1945 at Larchwood. They had five children, Carol, Joe, Pat, Steve, and Nancy. Together they farmed southwest of Alvord, Iowa until 1957. The farm was sold so the family moved to a farm southwest of Rock Valley, Iowa until retiring in 1984. Rose always wanted to be a nurse, so when the nursing home was built in Hudson, South Dakota, she worked as a CNA and Med Aide for 17 years. When the couple moved to Rock Valley, she worked at Valley Manor for 9 years. The couple moved to Whispering Heights of Rock Valley in 2014. Anthony died April 3, 2016 at the age of 97. The couple was married 71 years.

Rose enjoyed dancing with Anthony, playing cards with friends and family, gardening, embroidering, and traveling. She helped make fleece tie blankets which were given to babies born at Hegg Memorial Health Center in Rock Valley. Rose was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Rock Valley.

Rose is survived by her five children, Carol (Jerry) Flanagan of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Joe (Lin) Gacke of Hudson, South Dakota; Pat (David) Larson of Apple Valley, Minnesota; Steve (Cheri) Gacke of Rock Valley; and Nancy (Mark) Wynia of Rock Valley; 11 grandchildren, Michelle Flanagan, Daniel Gacke, David Gacke, Heather (Jamie) Tveitbakk, Brian Larson, Brittany Larson, Amanda (Ben) Ezugha, Jennifer Ahrendt, Marc (Jackie) Wynia, Tara (John) Woodraska, and Grant (Erica) Wynia; 16 great-grandchildren, Shiloh, Emerald, Aurorah, Orion, Leighton, Josi, Brody, Kylie, Sia, Zara, Mackenzie, Charley, Aaden, Elena, Austin, and Colter; 3 sisters-in-law, Gladys Daniels of Sioux Falls, Beatrice Bruggeman of Brandon, South Dakota and Betty Gacke of Larchwood, Iowa; brother-in-law, Bob Schreurs of Slayton, Minnesota; and a host of other family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jacob and Elizabeth; husband, Anthony Gacke; 8 siblings, Elizabeth Sehr, Gertrude Ripperda, Mary Polzin, Min Snyder, Ann Sehr, Joseph Daniels, Clara Snyder, and Anthony Daniels.

Visitation

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM ,Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Porter Funeral Home ~ Rock Valley
1704 15th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247

Prayer Service

7:30 PM ,Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Porter Funeral Home ~ Rock Valley
1704 15th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247

Mass of Christian Burial

10:30 AM ,Thursday, March 1, 2018
St. Mary's Catholic Church
1821 14th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247