Rose Elizabeth Schardt, 93, died of her injuries and complications at Mayo Clinic Hospitals, St. Mary’s campus, on Nov. 24, 2021, in Rochester, Minnesota, after falling in her home eight days earlier.
Rose was born on June 7, 1928, in Antigo, the daughter of the late Percy Gardner Sr. and Theresa (Suess) Gardner who resided at 334 Deresch St. The family later moved to farms in rural Birnamwood before settling on Sportsmans Drive in the Town of Plover, Marathon County.
Rose was united in marriage to Harold W. Schardt on June 17, 1950. Rose cared for her family during the last 17 years of Harold’s service in the Air Force as he was posted to numerous bases in country and abroad. They retired to the farm on Sportsmans Drive in 1967, where they raised Hereford cattle for many years.
They were members of St. John’s Lutheran church in Mattoon where Rose was treasurer for 10 years. They enjoyed square-dancing with the Merry Eights club for many years. They were leaders in the Happy Times Schafkopf card club at the Lakeside Senior Center in Wausau for 17 years. They moved to an apartment in Antigo where they organized a card club at the Senior Citizens Center and delivered meals to the elderly.
With advancing age, they moved to Rochester in 2012. Weekly, they watched the televised service from First Lutheran in Albert Lea. They were residents at River Bluff senior cooperative where Rose strove to brighten her neighbors’ lives with birthday cards and beaded calendars. She will be dearly missed.
Rose was preceded in death by her husband after 67 years of marriage; parents; one sister, Verna Pluger; and five brothers, Joseph, Roy, Kenneth, Percy Jr., and Charles.
She is survived by her sister, Theresa Edgell; three sons, Terry (Marchele), of Rochester, Dean (Anna), of McKinney, Texas, and Bruce (Lori), of Colorado Springs, Colorado; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
According to Rose’s wishes, the immediate family will participate in a graveside service with Schmidt Schulta Funeral Home in Birnamwood handling the details. After the inurnment, a celebration of life reception will be held for Rose’s relatives and friends where we can reflect on God’s grace to Rose and the redemption she enjoyed from her Savior, Jesus Christ. A time and date for the celebration will be announced at a later date.
Memories and messages of support may be shared at schmidtschulta.com
Rose E. Schardt
