Rose Papke

Rose Papke, 77, Breckenridge, MN passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at Twin Town Villa under the care of her family and Riveredge Hospice. Funeral Mass will be on Monday, January 5, at 11:00 AM at St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton, ND with Rev. Dale Lagodinski officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday from 5 PM to 7 PM with a prayer vigil at 7 PM at Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton. There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church Monday. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, ND.

Rose Wilhelmina Walter was born March 18, 1937 in New Salem, ND to Sebastian and Anna (Dirk) Walter. She grew up on a farm south of New Salem with 5 sisters and 6 brothers.

Rose graduated from St Mary's High School in Bismarck in 1955. She attended Dickinson State Teachers College and taught in a one room school in Bentley, ND.

Rose met Warren Papke in the Hettinger, ND area and the two were married on Dec 29, 1956.

Rose was a stay at home mom to her 6 children- a job she loved. After raising her children, Rose began working and her jobs always revolved around food! She brought much joy to people with her passion and talent for cooking. Her career included Head Cook at Goodrich Public School, St. Mary's Elementary School and Rectory and in the kitchen at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. She was also a cook and teacher's aide at Circle of Nations School in Wahpeton until her retirement..

While living in Goodrich, they owned and operated The Circle Lounge and Rose's Cafe. The cafe was always busy in the mornings for coffee, fresh pie, and pastries. Wednesdays were especially busy for her "German" night specials such as strudel, fleischkeukla, potato dumplings and knoefla. If you knew Rose, you were probably the lucky recipient of her baked goods- her famous brownies, sour cream cookies, lemon bars, cakes, and kuchen.

Rose was very active in her church, as a Eucharistic minister, reader, usher and CCD Teacher at St. Mary's in Bismarck and then after moving to Wahpeton in 1993, she continued her service at St. John's.

Rose's greatest joy was being a Grandma, you could always find her baking, making crafts, building blanket forts and playing board games with her grandkids. Her grandchildren's artwork always adorned the walls of her home. She loved attending their sporting events, plays, music, and dance programs.

Rose is survived by her children, Tyrus Papke and Curtis Papke, both of Colorado Springs, CO, Denise (Perry) Miller, Wahpeton, ND, Dennis (Vicky) Papke, Fargo, ND, Candis (Leigh) Bjore, Fargo, ND, Darus Papke, Bismarck, ND; her grandchildren, Courtland, Carson, Abby, Trisha (Dustin), Logan, Camryn, Jadea, Hunter; her great-grandchildren, Mackenna, Sawyer; her sisters, Maryann Schmitcke, Fargo, ND, Dianne Zenker, Turtle Lake, ND, Ann (Pete) Venstra, Evansville, IN; her brothers, Mike (Irene) Walter, Bismarck, ND, Rev. Chris Walter, Bismarck, ND, Gene (Marie) Walter, Palm Desert, CA, Jerome Walter and Joseph (Suzie) Walter, Valley Center, CA; one sister-in-law, Helen Walter, Aurora, CO; two brothers-in-law, Leslie Christensen, Miles City, MT, Fred Topp, Kallispell, MT.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Lillian Topp, Violet Christensen, and her brother, Stephen Walter.

Memorials can be made to Riveredge Hospice, Breckenridge, MN. The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff of Twin Town Villa for their care and support.