Rosella Berger, age 91, of Carroll, Iowa died Monday, March 26, 2018, at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll, surrounded by her family.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Rosie’s grandson, Fr. Kevin Earleywine. Con-Celebrants will be Fr. Kevin Richter, and Fr. Gary Snyder. Music will be by Dr. Bradley Barrett. Rosie’s granddaughters: Kate Earleywine, and Ella Lehmann will lector for the funeral mass. Presenting the Offertory Gifts will be Rosie’s granddaughters: Lisa Aesoph, Lizette Berger, and Sarah Beckelheimer. Eucharistic Minister will be Rosie’s son-in-law: Jim Lehmann. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Rosie’s grandchildren: Lisa Aesoph, Jill Masching, Amy Mosier, Aaron Berger, Holly Berger, Ellen Hoffman, Lizette Berger, Ema Smaldone, Sarah Beckelheimer, Abraham Lehmann, Ella Lehmann, Anna Lehmann, Matthew Earleywine, Kate Earleywine, and Fr. Kevin Earleywine. Casket Bearers will be: Dr. Charles Lehmann, Mark Earleywine, David Earleywine, Justin Hoffman, Andrew Smaldone, Ethan Masching, and Tyler Masching. Burial will be at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Mt. Carmel at 1:30 p.m. The Carroll Catholic Daughters of the America’s and the St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary will form an honor guard for the funeral mass.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4 p.m. on Monday, where there will be a Catholic Daughters of the Americas Rosary prayed at 5 p.m., and a Christian Wake Service will be held at 6:30 p.m.
The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church on Tuesday morning, where visitation will resume at 9:30 a.m., and continue until the time of the funeral mass.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Rosella’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on March 22, 1927 on a farm near Lidderdale, Iowa, Rosella was the daughter of Rudolph and Mary (Underberg) Nees. At a young age her family moved to a farm near Mt. Carmel, she attended school at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, and in 1944 she graduated from St. Angela’s Academy in Carroll. After her formal education Rosie worked for the Department of the United States Navy in Washington D.C. for one year before returning to the Carroll area.
On July 2, 1947 Rosie was united in marriage to Gus Berger at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Mt. Carmel. After they were married Rosie was a devoted homemaker, raising their children, and maintaining their home. Gus passed away in June of 1971. Following his passing Rosie worked as a Podiatrists Assistant, and as a retail associate at Sernett’s in Carroll. On August 12, 1989, Rosie was united in marriage to Loren “Bud” Keairnes at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. Bud passed away in 1998.
Rosie was an active volunteer in the Carroll area for many years. Some of her significant volunteer works were at St. Anthony Nursing Home, St. Anthony Hospital Auxiliary, R.S.V.P., where she specialized in making bookmarks for the summer reading program, and sewing over 200 mission dresses, for various missions. She enjoyed cross-stitching, reading, playing cards, and sewing. Most of all Rosie enjoyed the time she spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Rosie was very active with the Carroll Catholic Daughters of the America’s, serving in several leadership positions over the years. Rosie was a member of Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll.
Left to celebrate Rosie’s life are her children: Robert (Mary) Berger of Cherokee, James (Sylvia) Berger of Mt. Carmel, Linda (Jim) Lehmann of Cedar Rapids, and Kathy (Steve) Earleywine of Brodhead, WI; 18 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; her siblings: Kenneth Nees of Mt. Carmel, Mary Ann Brandt of Manning, and Duane (Loretta) Nees of Cincinnati, OH; her sisters-in-law, and brother-in-law: Helen Henn of Petersburg, NE, Lambert Hoffman of Graettinger, and Jean Berger of Bondurant; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.
Rosie was preceded in death by her parents: Rudolph and Mary Nees, her husbands: Gus Berger, and Bud Keairnes; a granddaughter: Lidia Berger; her siblings: Marvin (Lorraine) Nees, Florence (Arnold) Chamberlain, Rita (John) Dentlinger, Elmer (Marjean) Nees, two brothers in infancy: Francis, and Donald Nees; her sister-in-law, and brothers-in-law: Jeanette Nees, Herbert Miller, and Bert Brandt.
