Obituary for Rose E Johanningmeier (Mescher)
Rose E. (Mescher) Johanningmeier, 95, of The Rose of Dubuque, passed away
peacefully surrounded by family at 6:20 p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2018, at Stonehill Care
Center. Rose spent her formative years in New Vienna, Iowa, and later raised her own family on
Hennepin Street and Blackhawk Drive in Dubuque. She moved to The Rose in 2015.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at St. Columbkille's
Catholic Church with Father David Schatz officiating. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Saturday at the church before the services.
Rose was born on August 12, 1923 in New Vienna, Iowa, to Anton and Mary (Sandman)
Mescher. She married Elmer D. "Moe" Johanningmeier in 1948 at St. Boniface Catholic Church,
New Vienna, Iowa. He preceded her in death on March 26, 2003.
She graduated from St. Boniface High School in New Vienna, Iowa, attended Bayless
Business School in Dubuque and the American Enterprise Institute in Davenport, Iowa. Early in
her career, she worked at the Savannah Army Depot in Hanover, Illinois and Spahn & Rose in
Dubuque, Iowa. She was a sales associate at JC Penney in Dubuque, Iowa for 27 years,
retiring in 1986. She was the wife of a former policeman.
Rose was a past member of Sacred Heart Church and currently a member of St.
Columbkille's Parish.
Rose loved spending time with her family, spending hours playing games like Euchre,
Boggle and Old Maid, all the while never missing a crossword puzzle. She made numerous trips
to Idaho and the mountains there. She truly enjoyed her time working at JC Penney of which
she was a stockholder and pensioner. She liked to take weekly trips to the Mall after retiring.
She was a friendly face at Finley Hospital and the Dubuque Arboretum for many years
volunteering her time where she could visit with people and enjoy nature. Rose was an avid
Cubs fan and proud to witness her team win the World Series.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children, a son, Robert (Mary Lou)
Johanningmeier of Dubuque, IA, and two daughters, Mary Ellen (Merle) Neises of Galena, IL
and Karol Ward of Hailey, ID; her grandchildren Laura (Jim) Knabel, Amy (Matt) Cooksley,
David (Jennifer) Johanningmeier, Angie (Eric) White, Rachael (Kevin) Bergstrom, Hailey
(Richard) Bernal, Kaitlyn (Tiberius) Mocanu, Ashley Neises, Stephanie Neises, Brian Ward and
Hannah (Derrick) Harville: 18 adored great-grandchildren with one due in June of 2019; her
sister-in-law, Marion Mescher, Australia; her brother-in-law, Eddie Maiers, Dubuque, Iowa and
numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
Rose was preceded in death by her three sisters, Alma (James) Healy, Laura Maiers,
Arlene (Dick) Southwell; and her eight brothers, Herbert (Irene) Mescher, Vincent (Lucille)
Mescher, Edwin (Anna Jane) Mescher, Raymond (Fran) Mescher, Robert (Peggy) Mescher,
Allen (Violet) Mescher, Elmer Mescher, and Donald (Betty) Mescher; her two sisters-in-law,
Marie (Robert) Richard and Theresa Jansen, her four brothers-in-law, Owen Johanningmeier,
Charles (Marge) Johanningmeier, William (Josephine) Johanningmeier and Justin (Kay)
Johanningmeier.
The family requests no flowers. A Rose Johanningmeier Memorial Fund has been
established.
The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful caregivers at the Rose of Dubuque,
Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for all the kind, compassionate and professional
care they provided to Rose and her family. They also would like to thank Father Daniel Knepper.
The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
peacefully surrounded by family at 6:20 p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2018, at Stonehill Care
Center. Rose spent her formative years in New Vienna, Iowa, and later raised her own family on
Hennepin Street and Blackhawk Drive in Dubuque. She moved to The Rose in 2015.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at St. Columbkille's
Catholic Church with Father David Schatz officiating. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery. Friends may call from 9:30 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Saturday at the church before the services.
Rose was born on August 12, 1923 in New Vienna, Iowa, to Anton and Mary (Sandman)
Mescher. She married Elmer D. "Moe" Johanningmeier in 1948 at St. Boniface Catholic Church,
New Vienna, Iowa. He preceded her in death on March 26, 2003.
She graduated from St. Boniface High School in New Vienna, Iowa, attended Bayless
Business School in Dubuque and the American Enterprise Institute in Davenport, Iowa. Early in
her career, she worked at the Savannah Army Depot in Hanover, Illinois and Spahn & Rose in
Dubuque, Iowa. She was a sales associate at JC Penney in Dubuque, Iowa for 27 years,
retiring in 1986. She was the wife of a former policeman.
Rose was a past member of Sacred Heart Church and currently a member of St.
Columbkille's Parish.
Rose loved spending time with her family, spending hours playing games like Euchre,
Boggle and Old Maid, all the while never missing a crossword puzzle. She made numerous trips
to Idaho and the mountains there. She truly enjoyed her time working at JC Penney of which
she was a stockholder and pensioner. She liked to take weekly trips to the Mall after retiring.
She was a friendly face at Finley Hospital and the Dubuque Arboretum for many years
volunteering her time where she could visit with people and enjoy nature. Rose was an avid
Cubs fan and proud to witness her team win the World Series.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children, a son, Robert (Mary Lou)
Johanningmeier of Dubuque, IA, and two daughters, Mary Ellen (Merle) Neises of Galena, IL
and Karol Ward of Hailey, ID; her grandchildren Laura (Jim) Knabel, Amy (Matt) Cooksley,
David (Jennifer) Johanningmeier, Angie (Eric) White, Rachael (Kevin) Bergstrom, Hailey
(Richard) Bernal, Kaitlyn (Tiberius) Mocanu, Ashley Neises, Stephanie Neises, Brian Ward and
Hannah (Derrick) Harville: 18 adored great-grandchildren with one due in June of 2019; her
sister-in-law, Marion Mescher, Australia; her brother-in-law, Eddie Maiers, Dubuque, Iowa and
numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
Rose was preceded in death by her three sisters, Alma (James) Healy, Laura Maiers,
Arlene (Dick) Southwell; and her eight brothers, Herbert (Irene) Mescher, Vincent (Lucille)
Mescher, Edwin (Anna Jane) Mescher, Raymond (Fran) Mescher, Robert (Peggy) Mescher,
Allen (Violet) Mescher, Elmer Mescher, and Donald (Betty) Mescher; her two sisters-in-law,
Marie (Robert) Richard and Theresa Jansen, her four brothers-in-law, Owen Johanningmeier,
Charles (Marge) Johanningmeier, William (Josephine) Johanningmeier and Justin (Kay)
Johanningmeier.
The family requests no flowers. A Rose Johanningmeier Memorial Fund has been
established.
The family wishes to thank all of the wonderful caregivers at the Rose of Dubuque,
Stonehill Care Center and Hospice of Dubuque for all the kind, compassionate and professional
care they provided to Rose and her family. They also would like to thank Father Daniel Knepper.
The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.