Rosemary Staudt

Rosemary Staudt, 79, of Rockwell, Iowa, died Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014, at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Mason City, surrounded by her family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 305 Elm Street E., Rockwell, with the Rev. Rodney Allers, officiating. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery, Dougherty, Iowa.

Visitation will be held Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic School, Rockwell.

Rosemary Staudt was born June 5, 1935, in rural Dougherty, the oldest daughter of Walter and Louise (Paulus) Murphy. She was united in marriage to Donavon Staudt on Sept. 6, 1954, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dougherty.

She attended and graduated from St. Patrick’s Catholic High School in Dougherty in 1953. Rosemary’s life revolved around her faith, her family, and the community. Her faith motivated her commitment to the Catholic Church where she enjoyed the beautiful liturgies as part of the celebration of the Mass. She was a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dougherty, where she played the organ and worked with the choir. Rosemary also touched many lives as an instructor for religious education. Praying the Rosary was a source of strength for her and something she passed along to her family. Her strong faith was instilled in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

Rosemary was an active participant in her family’s everyday lives, celebrating with them all their accomplishments and supporting them through all their challenges. She made each member of her family feel special and unique. She was also an accomplished seamstress, sewing many lovely things for her family over her lifetime. She spent many hours making beautiful keepsake afghans for her grandchildren. Cooking and baking were gifts she shared with not only her family but with her neighbors. 

Rosemary loved her community and was active in the memorialization of its history. She was a present and active member in the American Legion Auxiliary and the St. Patrick’s Historical Society. After her youngest child graduated from high school, Rosemary enjoyed working with many different people at such locations as UNISYS, Newman Daycare, Lyons Toyota, Newman Religious Education, and family businesses. Rosemary loved God, her husband, her children and their children, her sisters, and her community with all her might. 

She is survived by her husband, Donavon Staudt, Rockwell; five children, Joe (Kim) Staudt, Greene, Iowa, and their children, Arin (Scott) Anderson, Sheri (Dean) Hemphill, John (Sarah) Staudt, Jenny (Nate) Atkinson, Catherine Staudt, Regina Staudt, Bridget Staudt; Mary (Mike) Olk, Clear Lake, and their children, Karen (Thad) Meyer, Stephanie, Stacie, Marissa, and Carter; Tom (Lorrie) Staudt, Dougherty, and their children, Mark (Connie) Staudt, Michelle (Sheldon) Jurgens; Paul (Jean) Staudt, Dougherty, and their children, Sean (Emily) Staudt, Sydney, and Celeste; Theresa Staudt, Clear Lake, and her children, Barak, Haley, and Sabrina Brakke; great-grandchildren, John, Angelina, and Dominic Hemphill, Levi, Jacob Staudt, Noah, Andrew Atkinson, Benjamin, Owen, Erik Staudt, Parker Jurgens, Ella, Spencer, and Lauren Meyer; four sisters, Sister Walter Marie Murphy PBVM, Dougherty, Sister Marie Louise Murphy, PBVM, Dougherty, Shirley (Alex) Devereux, Marion, Donna (Bill) Devereux, Hampton; sister and brother- in-law, Mary Abell, Dougherty, Donald (Betty) Staudt, Mason City; many nieces and nephews.

Rosemary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband’s parents, George and Mary Staudt; brothers-in-law, Morris Staudt and Bill Abell; and a great-grandson, Nicholas Atkinson.