Roger L. Nosbisch, 78
Roger L. Nosbisch, age 78 of New Hampton, died Sunday, June 28, 2020, at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 2, 2020, at Holy Family Parish with the Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass.Interment will be in the New Hampton City Cemetery.
Friends greeted the family 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory in New Hampton where there was a 7 p.m. Parish Scripture Service.
Visitation continued an hour prior to the Mass at the church on Thursday.
Roger Louis Nosbisch was born June 7, 1942, at the hospital in Elma, one of eight children — including six boys — born to Walter and Lucille (Huegel) Nosbisch.
Roger grew up on a farm near North Washington, and he learned at an early age that the farm was definitely a family affair. He helped with everything from chores to giving his mother a hand with the cooking.
He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School in North Washington and was a member of the school’s Class of 1960. Roger then went to school in Calmar to learn how to operate a Linotype machine, which was used to print most newspapers back in the day.
One Friday evening, Roger was sitting in the back booth at Holly’s Cafe with three buddies — all of whom had dates that weekend. Roger, however, didn’t and said he didn’t have the money to go on one, either. His pals pooled their money, and Roger said “the next girl who comes through the door of Holly’s Cafe is the one I’m asking out.” That girl was Paulette Folkers. She may have been the daughter of the county sheriff, but a deal is a deal. She said yes, and one date led to another, which led to another, which … well, you get the idea.
On Sept. 25, 1965, Roger and Paulette exchanged vows and began a marriage that lasted for almost 55 years. He and his wife loved to go dancing and spent many Saturday nights doing the “shattish” at the ballroom in Lawler. They had two children — Randy and Angie — and Roger loved being a dad.
He worked at a printing press in Emmetsburg before accepting a job at the Lake Mills Graphic, but in the early 1970s, Roger and Paulette were ready to come back home so he took a job at the New Hampton Tribune. A few years later, he accepted a maintenance position at the Chickasaw County Courthouse, and he kept the county’s buildings and grounds in tip-top shape for 32 years.
At home, Randy remembers his dad’s best lesson was “if you do something, then do it right.” Roger called Angie “Squirt,” and she was definitely a daddy’s girl. The Nosbisch kids remember the vacations they took in the wood-paneled family station wagon, and they also will tell you they had a Dad who loved his community and gave back to it.
He served as a volunteer firefighter, was a member of the Park Board for 16 years, and was instrumental in the Davis Rally — helping Gene and Luci set up the first rally held at their home and working at the event every year the Davis family ran it. He loved meeting his “once-a-year rally” friends, and they always picked up right where they left off.
Roger retired from the county in 2007, but “retiring” wasn’t really in his vocabulary; instead, he spent summers working for the Parks and Recreation Department and continued working at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home, where he started working in the 1970s and became a valuable jack-of-all-trades to Bryan and Gayla Hugeback and their family.
Roger loved going on motorcycle trips with Paulette, and over the years, they rode through 27 states. When he was at home, Roger liked to go for walks and definitely was always up for a game of euchre, especially at family gatherings.
In the end, that’s what Roger was — a family man. He loved his wife and children and adored his three granddaughters. His family, his community, and his friends will miss him, but there is comfort in the fact that Roger is now at peace and pain-free. Heaven gained a straight-talking, hard-working angel this week.
Survivors include his wife, Paulette; one son, Randy (Lori) Nosbisch of New Hampton; one daughter, Angie (Stephen) Caromile of Johnston, Rhode Island; three granddaughters, Aleesha Nosbisch, Cassandra Nosbisch and Allegra Caromile; three brothers, Jim (Cathy) Nosbisch of Stewartville, Minnesota, Dave (Mary) Nosbisch of Durand, Illinois, and Glen (Jo) Nosbisch of New Hampton; one sister, Jane Nosbisch of Chicago; and brother-in-law, Doug Belden of Swisher.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Merlin “Butch” Nosbisch and Mike Nosbisch; one sister, Lois Belden; and nephew, Randy Stolka.
