Rosa Katherine (Riessen) Christiansen (1899 - 1992)

Rosa Katherine Christensen was born on April 20, 1899 at Willow Township near Charter Oak, Ia., the daughter of Luise Clausen Riessen and Johannes H. Riessen. She died Friday, Dec. 4, 1992 at the Manilla Manor Nursing Home in Manilla at the age of 93 years.

Rosa was baptized in Christ as an infant by Rev. A. Amstein and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. John's Lutheran Church also by Rev. Amstein on April 5, 1914. Rosa received her education in the Charter Oak Public School in addition to her Christian education in the Lutheran school.

On August 27, 1919, Rosa was united in marriage to Johannas Christiansen. The couple settled on a farm in Crawford County and were blessed with the birth of eleven children. They remained on the farm until 1944 when they retired and moved to Denison, Ia. where they lived until October of 1985 and moved to the Manilla Manor.

Rosa enjoyed occupying her free time in her flower and vegetable gardens in addition to the time spent crocheting, sewing, cooking and baking. She was a loving wife and mother who devoted her life to her children and grandchildren. She had wisdom, charm and a keen cleverness that will always be remembered by those who knew her. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and a past member of their Ladies Aid Association.

Rosa was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John in December of 1985; one infant daughter, Mary Louise; one son, Edgar; one grandson; five sisters and three brothers.

Survivors include three sons, Arthur and his wife, Ilene of Phoenix, Ariz., Phillip and his wife, Leone of Fallbrook, Calif., and Dr. Richard and his wife, Nancy of Ann Arbor, Mich. Also six daughters, Genevieve Baker of Manning, Lois Ahrenholtz and her husband, Howard of Manilla, Norma Juhl of Missouri Valley, Dorothy Smith and her husband, Duane of Audubon, Janet Miller and her husband, Greg of Houston, Texas, Donna Jack and her husband, Don of Phoenix, Ariz.; and one sister-in-law, Lois Christiansen of Canoga Park, Calif. Other survivors include 40 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; two sisters, Irene Huelsman and her husband, Eugene of Charter Oak and Helen Ausberger of Jefferson; other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7, 1992 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Denison with Pastor Kurt Kaiser and Pastor Philip E. Bloch officiating the service and graveside rites held at the Crawford Heights Memory Gardens in Denison. Karen Kahl provided the organ accompaniment for congregational hymns, "Abide With Me," "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and "Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense." Pallbearers were Brian Smith, Jeffrey Juhl, Richard Kuhn, Earl Keesling, Dr. Darrel Baker, Eugene Ahrenholtz, Paul Christiansen and David Christiansen. Funeral arrangements were made under the direction of the Walter A. Huebner and Sons' Funeral Home in Denison.

Transcribed by: Bob Kuehl