Rose Marie Winkler, 85, of Oriska, ND passed away at Bethany on 42nd in Fargo, ND June 12, 2023. Mass of Christian Burial will be June 17 at 1 p.m. at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Oriska. Visitation will start at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at St. Bernard’s Cemetery, Oriska. Rose was born in Valley City, ND March 12, 1938, to Leonard and Rose (Anderson) Lawrence. She attended grade school at Engelvale, ND and high school in Lisbon, ND.
Rose was employed in Lisbon as a telephone operator until the office changed to dial phones. She was transferred to Valley City for two years, then to Fargo for 6 years. In 1962, Rose met Ron Winkler at a dance in Fingal, ND, and they began courting. They married February 8, 1964, at Nativity Catholic Church in Fargo. The couple moved to Alaska where Ron was employed and homesteaded near Knik, Alaska. Rose worked for the telephone company in Anchorage, and when she started raising their family, became a stay-at-home Mom.
In 1964, after being there for only three weeks, they experienced the Alaskan Earthquake, which registered 9.2 on the Richter Scale. In 1977, the family moved to Oriska, and took over his family farm. Rose raised gardens in Alaska and on the farm in ND and tended to the flowers that were in her yards. She helped Ron in many ways around the farm with her various home maker duties, including cooking, sewing, running after the kids, helping in the field, attending to the cattle, mowing grass, working in the garden, canning/freezing and being a parts runner.
Rose was a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and a member of The Ladies Aid, serving as Ladies Aid President for St. Bernard’s in the early 80’s and helped with CCD. Rose also was a member of the OPO at Oriska School and brought bars and worked for many ball games and concerts. After she and Ron raised their family, they would go to polka dances around the area and even traveled out-of-state to a few. They went to Branson, Missouri a couple of times to attend reunions of Ron’s from his days in The Armed Forces.
Rose is survived by her children: Karen Winkler (Clearwater, FL), Thomas (Linda) Winkler (Anchorage, AK), Charles (Britney) Winkler (Anchorage, AK), Rosemary (Steven) Ames (Munich, ND); grandchildren: Cressenda, Kyle, Gretta, Alea, and Naomi; great children: Daviree, Derionna, and Devon. She is also survived by her sister: Marilyn Darling (Phoenix, AZ); brother-in-law: Burdell Ranzenberger (West Fargo, ND); sister-in-law: MaryAnn Winkler (Valley City, ND); and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron; grandparents; parents; sisters: Leonora Week, and Susan Ranzenberger; sister-in-law: Jacqueline Wadeson; brothers-in-law: Raymond Winkler, Wallace Darling, David Week, and Richard Wadeson.
The Lerud Mathias Funeral Home in Valley City, ND is assisting Rose’s family with arrangements. An online guestbook is available on her tribute page at www.lerudmathias.com