Rose Ann Korbel Owatonna, Minnesota Obituary

Rose Ann Korbel

Rose Ann Korbel died on Monday afternoon, October 26, 2020. Her death was caused by Lewy Body Dementia. She had two other significant health issues. Rose Ann was born in Comfrey, Minnesota, on March 12, 1939. Her parents were Florence Schroeder Ennis, and Steven Ennis. She had her Elementary and High School education in Comfrey. School was one block from her home, and all 12 grades were in one building. She was active in many school activities, including the band, as a clarinet player, drama, and twirling. Also important in her early years was her involvement at Salem Lutheran Church, which included a trip to a National Luther League Convention in Texas. Then, college at St. Olaf, where she majored in Speech and English. She was involved in the college theater, mostly on the technical side. She worked the college switchboard for two summers. While at St. Olaf she met Karl Korbel. They married on August 12, 1961, and spent their first two years together in the student housing at Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis. During that time Rose Ann worked as a switchboard operator at Honeywell, then as a school librarian at Dassel, Minnesota. The Korbels moved to Attica, Indiana, in June 1963, and stayed in the same location for 35 years. Rose Ann taught Speech and English and staged plays, including two musicals. After teaching for five years, because of physical limitations, including Multiple Sclerosis, Rose Ann cut down, first to a part time job as an activity director in an out-patient mental health center, and then ended her career. When daughter Faith was born in 1978 most of the Multiple Sclerosis symptoms went to remission, however Optic Neuritis continued. At about the time that Faith started college, the Korbels left their long time stay in Attica. Karl shifted to Interim Ministries. They lived in Bluffton and Porter, Indiana, and Black River Falls, Wisconsin, before coming to Owatonna to retire in 2001. Rose Ann and Karl became involved in Our Savior's Church. In December, 2017, Rose Ann's health issues had become noticeably more serious. In addition to Lumbar Arthritis and the return of some of the M.S. symptoms, there was increasing evidence of dementia. In late August of 2020, Rose Ann had surgery to ease the spinal problems, then, was admitted to the New Richland Care Center for further care. The Lewy Body Dementia took control, until her death. Rose Ann loved the arts, spending much of her retirement attending theater, and concerts. Theater could be in Owatonna, or at the Guthrie. The music spectrum included the Owatonna Community Band, concerts at Saint Olaf, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra. Reading delighted her, and as vision limitations increased, the tablet type readers provided her with several years of good reading. She was a good listener, always ready to jump in with encouragement and occasionally a bit of sarcasm. She was preceded in death by her parents, Steven and Florence (Schroeder) Ennis. Survivors, beside her husband, Karl, are daughter, Faith and her significant other, David Peters, of Arlington, Virginia. Also her brother, Loren (Sherry) Ennis, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, their two children, Shawn and Stephanie, and Stephanie's children. The family is grateful to the people of the Mayo Clinic, especially the Owatonna facility, to the people of the New Richland Care Center, and the Mayo Hospice Service. The ongoing care of Our Savior's Church, its staff and members, has been much appreciated. Undesignated Memorial Gifts are being directed to The Lewy Body Dementia Association, and the two congregations that have been especially important to Rose Ann, First Church, Attica, Indiana, and Our Savior's in Owatonna. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, June 21, 2021 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Owatonna with visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. The Reverend Lisa Carlson will officiate.
March 12, 1939 - October 26, 202003/12/193910/26/2020
Share Obituary:

Share a memory

Add to your memory
Photos/Video
Candle
Mementos

Obituary

Rose Ann Korbel died on Monday afternoon, October 26, 2020. Her death was caused by Lewy Body Dementia. She had two other significant health issues. Rose Ann was born in Comfrey, Minnesota, on March 12, 1939. Her parents were Florence Schroeder Ennis, and Steven Ennis. She had her Elementary and High School education in Comfrey. School was one block from her home, and all 12 grades were in one building. She was active in many school activities, including the band, as a clarinet player, drama, and twirling. Also important in her early years was her involvement at Salem Lutheran Church, which included a trip to a National Luther League Convention in Texas. Then, college at St. Olaf, where she majored in Speech and English. She was involved in the college theater, mostly on the technical side. She worked the college switchboard for two summers. While at St. Olaf she met Karl Korbel. They married on August 12, 1961, and spent their first two years together in the student housing at Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in Minneapolis. During that time Rose Ann worked as a switchboard operator at Honeywell, then as a school librarian at Dassel, Minnesota. The Korbels moved to Attica, Indiana, in June 1963, and stayed in the same location for 35 years. Rose Ann taught Speech and English and staged plays, including two musicals. After teaching for five years, because of physical limitations, including Multiple Sclerosis, Rose Ann cut down, first to a part time job as an activity director in an out-patient mental health center, and then ended her career. When daughter Faith was born in 1978 most of the Multiple Sclerosis symptoms went to remission, however Optic Neuritis continued. At about the time that Faith started college, the Korbels left their long time stay in Attica. Karl shifted to Interim Ministries. They lived in Bluffton and Porter, Indiana, and Black River Falls, Wisconsin, before coming to Owatonna to retire in 2001. Rose Ann and Karl became involved in Our Savior's Church. In December, 2017, Rose Ann's health issues had become noticeably more serious. In addition to Lumbar Arthritis and the return of some of the M.S. symptoms, there was increasing evidence of dementia. In late August of 2020, Rose Ann had surgery to ease the spinal problems, then, was admitted to the New Richland Care Center for further care. The Lewy Body Dementia took control, until her death. Rose Ann loved the arts, spending much of her retirement attending theater, and concerts. Theater could be in Owatonna, or at the Guthrie. The music spectrum included the Owatonna Community Band, concerts at Saint Olaf, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra. Reading delighted her, and as vision limitations increased, the tablet type readers provided her with several years of good reading. She was a good listener, always ready to jump in with encouragement and occasionally a bit of sarcasm. She was preceded in death by her parents, Steven and Florence (Schroeder) Ennis. Survivors, beside her husband, Karl, are daughter, Faith and her significant other, David Peters, of Arlington, Virginia. Also her brother, Loren (Sherry) Ennis, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, their two children, Shawn and Stephanie, and Stephanie's children. The family is grateful to the people of the Mayo Clinic, especially the Owatonna facility, to the people of the New Richland Care Center, and the Mayo Hospice Service. The ongoing care of Our Savior's Church, its staff and members, has been much appreciated. Undesignated Memorial Gifts are being directed to The Lewy Body Dementia Association, and the two congregations that have been especially important to Rose Ann, First Church, Attica, Indiana, and Our Savior's in Owatonna. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, June 21, 2021 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Owatonna with visitation beginning at 9:30 AM. The Reverend Lisa Carlson will officiate.

Events

Jun
21
Memorial Visitation
Monday, June 21 2021
09:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1909 Saint Paul Road
Owatonna, MN 55060
Get Directions
View MapTextEmail
Jun
21
Memorial Service
Monday, June 21 2021
11:00 AM
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1909 Saint Paul Road
Owatonna, MN 55060
Get Directions
View MapTextEmail