Rosemary Maxine Anderson, 88
Rosemary Maxine Anderson, age 88 of Ionia, died Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, at Patty Elwood Center in Cresco, surrounded by her family.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton, with the Rev. Kevin Frey presiding.
For those unable to attend the funeral service in person please join the family via Livestream by going to the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory website that can be found at hugebackfuneralhome.com.
Interment will follow at New Hampton City Cemetery.
Friends may greet the family from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, at the church.
Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with Rosemary’s arrangements.
Rosemary’s life of giving began on May 2, 1934, when she was born to Thomas and Florence (Rhodes) Walton at home in the small town of Kalo, which is located 12 miles south of Fort Dodge. She grew up on a small acreage near Otho and received her education in the small town, where she loved playing basketball for the Indians and was a member of the Class of 1952 at Otho High School.
Serving as a bridesmaid in a wedding proved to change the course of her life, for on the groom’s side was a young, handsome Air Force man named Paul Anderson, and it was love at first sight for both of them. Paul was stationed in Laredo, Texas, and on more than one occasion, he would get off duty on a Friday, hitchhike to Iowa to see Rosemary and then hitchhike back to Laredo by Monday so he wouldn’t be AWOL!
The couple was married on July 19, 1952, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua and began their life together in Texas. As the Korean War was winding down, the Air Force offered Paul an early discharge, he took it and Rosemary and her husband began their lifelong farming career. They farmed in Hamilton and Calhoun counties for a number of years, but they found their “home farm” in 1965 when they purchased a home and land in between New Hampton and Ionia.
The couple was blessed and raised four children — Paula, Karen, Luann and Grant — and they had a mother who always put others before herself. She loved her life on the farm. From baking to cooking to gardening to sewing to walking and working alongside Paul, she made the lives of her husband and children so much better.
She enjoyed the time she spent with her Neighborhood Club. Rosemary and Paul had plenty of great times with their card club friends and she also enjoyed quilting with her friends at Trinity Lutheran Church, where she was an active member for so many years.
When Paul and Rosemary retired in 1997, they enjoyed traveling, taking a number of bus trips around the country and also visiting both Alaska and Hawaii.
Rosemary was also incredibly proud of her 14 grandchildren and enjoyed attending their school events and games.
Her focus was always on her family, and she was so happy that the farm she and Paul started so long ago is continuing to be worked by Grant, Brayden and Peyton.
Rosemary is survived by three daughters, Paula Hentges of Spirit Lake, Karen Lindley of Alexandria, Minnesota, and Luann (Rick) Weigel of Grinnell; one son, Grant (Krissy) Anderson of New Hampton; 14 grandchildren, Tera, Leah, Jenna, Tim, Alyssa, Nicole, Holly, Aaron, Chad, Nathan, Laura, Savannah, Brayden and Peyton; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Paul in 2010; son-in-law, Jerry Hentges in 2010; her sister, Jean Telleen; and an infant brother and sister.
The Anderson family would like to thank the staff of Kensington Place, Patty Elwood Center, Howard County Hospice and Dr. Jon Kammerer for the excellent and compassionate care.
All memorials can be directed to the Rosemary Anderson Memorial Fund, with all the funds distributed to local charities at the family’s discretion.
