Jean Rosebrock
Jean C. Rosebrock, 85, of Aberdeen, SD, passed away Monday, November 27, 2023, at her home in Aberdeen.
Jean was born on October 20, 1938, to Amelia (Kolb) and Mathias Hartze. She was the eldest of 7 children. She grew up in Aberdeen, SD, where she attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and graduated from Aberdeen Central High School. She worked for Walgreen’s Drug Store during high school and shortly after high school.
On August 18, 1957, Jean was united in marriage to Fritz Rosebrock. In 1959, Jean and Fritz moved to Frederick, SD, to take over the Rosebrock Family Farm that was homesteaded in 1882. There she worked alongside Fritz managing the farming operation while raising their four children; Janet, Kay, Robert and Todd who were their pride and joy. She was active in the Church Altar Society, served as a Brown County Election volunteer, and was involved in many activities and events in the Frederick school and community.
In 1997 Jean and Fritz moved to Aberdeen to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Jean took on a new career as a Retail Merchandiser. Those in Aberdeen who frequented Walmart, Target and Kmart knew they would be bound to run into Jean working on merchandising throughout the stores. She enjoyed visiting with everyone during her time in the stores. She was in high demand and highly sought after in the merchandising industry. Jean was tenacious and hardworking, traits she has passed on to her children and grandchildren. Jean’s most precious accomplishment was being a mother and grandmother. She was proud of her children and grandchildren’s accomplishments. She enjoyed being part of their lives and took every opportunity to let her family, friends and neighbors know how proud she was. She was looking forward to welcoming a new generation into her family with the birth of her first greatgrandchild, baby girl Pelle in February 2024.
Jean and Fritz enjoyed several adventures over the years. They took several vacations traveling to the Gulf Shores in Alabama where she enjoyed the ocean waves, climbing a glacier and panning for gold in Alaska with their daughter Kay and her family, a bus tour to Branson, Missouri with friends, and their biggest adventure, traveling to Germany to visit Fritz’s family home and heritage. Jean did not care for the water although she enjoyed the last couple of summers spending time with her son Todd’s family at their cabin on Mina Lake. Jean enjoyed grilling in the backyard with her daughter Janet’s family and making her incredibly special baked beans! Jean shied away from using the computer while Fritz was alive, however, she later embraced the computer along with her smart phone honing her texting skills and playing games. It was later learned she was using quite a lot of data, and we would kid her about it. She obtained several technological devices and enjoyed using them. She would always say “My Google said”, fun to hear.
Jean is survived by three of her children; Janet(Jeff) Hedges, Kay (Scott) Keller and Todd (Barb)Rosebrock, her six grandchildren; Jerome Keller, Sarah (Andrew) Pelle, Sadie Hedges, Justin Rosebrock, Whitney Rosebrock, and Sydney Rosebrock, and two step-grandchildren, Daniel Washenberger and family, and Heidi (Trevor) Russell and family, four of her six siblings; MaryAnn Krueger, Paula Franzen, RoseHartze, and Carol (Robert) Gruba, her sister-in-law, Ilse Cameron, brother-in-law, Tim Pierson, and several nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mathias and Amelia Hartze, husband, Fritz Rosebrock, son, Robert Rosebrock, sister, Judy Pierson, and brother, Richard Hartze. Jean will be dearly missed by her family and friends.