Betty Lou Rose, 95, of Elgin, Iowa, passed away on Monday, April 10, 2023. Betty Lou was born on September 23, 1927 to F.W. and Hildegard Pape. She grew up on a farm north of West Union, Iowa. From an early age, she helped with farm chores including milking cows, gathering eggs, cleaning the hen house, and making hay. Although she lived in the country, she attended town school in West Union. Betty Lou graduated from West Union High School in 1944.
From the fall of 1944 to the spring of 1945, Betty Lou worked at Rath Packing Company in Waterloo, as a key punch operator. She earned about a dollar an hour and saved enough money at Rath’s to go to college.
During the summer of 1945, she attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls and earned a teaching certificate after three months of study. In the fall of 1945 she became the teacher of 8 students in a one room school, Auburn #10. The next year she taught 18 students at Windsor #1, also a one room school.
Betty Lou was united in marriage to Charles Rose on August 14, 1947 at Zion Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa. For the next two decades, she enjoyed being a farmer’s wife and the mother of four children. In 1967 she began as a type setter for the Fayette County Union Newspaper, remaining there for 45 years, could type 60 words per minute, and retired at the age of 85!
Betty Lou loved her family, was affectionately known as “Grandma Betty” and cherished the time she spent with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren. She enjoyed cooking, baking, going to auctions and garage sales, attending church functions, going on adventures with her family, trying her luck at the casino, reading the Fayette County Union, experimenting with new recipes, keeping journals, and also spending time with friends. As she said, “I had a good life.”
Betty Lou was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, West Union since she was baptized in 1927. All of her four children were also baptized at Zion Lutheran. Betty Lou was a lifelong member of Zion, and had the honor of being the oldest consecutive member of Zion.
Betty Lou is survived by her children: Charlene (Bob) Pisors, Merle (Cindy) Rose, Terry (Cindy) Rose, and Scott (Cindy) Rose, and yes, all of her daughters-in-law were named Cindy! She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Angie Rose, Corey Rose, Megan Whittle, Jon Rose, Nate Rose, Nick Rose, Amanda Henson, Joe Rose, and Zach Pisors. Surviving great grandchildren include Emily Streif, Judd Rose, Kip Rose, Ridge Rose, Cashton Rose, Charlie Rose, Hal Rose, Vera Rose, Lilie Rose, Teagan Rose, Emmett Rose, Amelia Henson, Colby Henson, and great great grandchildren Dallin and Ila Lou Streif. She is also survived by sisters Vidys Rose and Phyllis Holmstrom, and brothers Lee Pape and Arlo Pape, and extended loving family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, F.W. and Hildegard Pape, husband Charles Rose, brothers Victor Pape, Jim Pape, Harry Pape and sister Eileen Lowry.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran Church, West Union, Iowa or the hospice unit at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah,Iowa.
Visitation will be held from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa. There will also be a one hour visitation before services at the church on Friday.
Funeral Service will be at 10:30 am on Friday, April 14, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church in West Union, Iowa with Isaiah Stansbery, TEEM student minister as the officiant
Burial will follow at West Union City Cemetery in West Union, Iowa.
Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.