Rosemary “Rosie” Agnes Bergbower age 90, passed away on Thursday, April 3, 2025.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 12, 2025 at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Newton, Illinois. Burial will be in Old St. Peter Cemetery.
Rosie was born April 29th, 1934, in Lillyville, Illinois to Edward and Emma (Vahling) Zumbahlen. Rosie married Raphael “Brownie” Alexander Bergbower on July 12, 1952, at St. Joseph’s Church in Island Grove. They were married 55 years before his passing on December 29, 2007. Rosie was a member of St. Thomas Church and Alter Society.
Rosie is survived by 8 children: Diane (Gary) Farley of Newton, IL; Karen (Larry) Howard of Waterloo, IA; Gloria (Tim) McDonald of Olney, IL; Kenneth (Carol) of Robinson, IL; Jeanne (Gerry) Geltz of Olney, IL; Wayne (Susan) of Newton; IL; Mark (Sandra) of Newton, IL; and Scott (Tammy) of Newton, IL.
20 grandchildren: Brad (Cassie) Howard, Travis (Katie) Farley, Kiley (Ryan) Rawson, Ryan (Bruna) Howard, Brent Farley, Leigh Anne (Sam) Hansen, Nathan (Lisa) Bergbower, Nick (Amy) McDonald, Kristy (Robbie) Geltz-Greve, McKenzie (Doug) Colbert-Geltz, Collin (Jennifer) Geltz, Hannah Bergbower, Kaylyn Bergbower, Morgan Bergbower, Jeremy Bergbower, Mallory Bergbower, Alex Bergbower, Clay Bergbower, Brady Bergbower and Heather Bergbower.
21 great-grandchildren: Brooke, Megan and Kelsey Farley; Kason, Kai and John Howard; Cole, Claire, Henry and Jack Hansen; Emma, Rhett and Dane McDonald; Kal and Vera Greve-Geltz; Jagger, Noxx and Maddux Bergbower; Savannah and Luke Rawson; and Arden Colbert-Geltz.
Rosie is also survived by 4 siblings: Estella (Richard) Deters of Boulder, CO; Christine Litzelman of Ste. Marie, IL; Irene Correll of Newton, IL; and Elmer (Elaine) Zumbahlen of Wheeler, IL, and sisters-in-law Theresa Zumbahlen and Sandra Zumbahlen both of Newton, IL.
She was preceded in death by her husband Brownie, her parents, grandson Creighton McDonald, great grandson Hudson Howard, brothers Arthur, Vincent, Cletus, Sylvester and Leonard Zumbahlen, sisters Clara Brummer, Marian Weishaar and Marie Dust, brothers-in-law Sylvester Brummer, Vincent Weishaar, Nicholas Dust and Donald Litzelman and sisters-in-law Marilyn A. Zumbahlen and Marilyn R. Zumbahlen.
Memorial gifts may be made to either the Old St. Peter Cemetery Fund or to the St. Thomas School.
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