Rose Rutar

Rose (Vrana) Rutar, 95, formerly of Thurston, NE went to her heavenly home on July 14, 2024, at the Wakefield Health Care Center in Wakefield, NE. The visitation will be on Thursday, July 18, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE. The funeral service will be on Friday, July 19, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at John Huss Presbyterian Church in Thurston, NE. The burial will be at Rosehill Cemetery in Pender, NE. Memorials are suggested to John Huss Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE.

Rose was born on the farm in Walthill on December 27, 1928, to Stanley and Emily (Semrad) Vrana. The family moved to another farm near Thurston when Rose was 13. Rose left school in 9th grade to help the family with the farm. In 1943, Rose was confirmed with her sister, Mary Jane, at Thurston Presbyterian Church where she remained a faithful member until her death. Her father Stanely passed suddenly in 1947.

May 1, 1949, Rose married Jerry Rutar and they lived on a farm near Thurston where Rose lived most of her life. Tragically, Jerry too suddenly passed away in 1966 at age 45. As a single parent, Rose raised three children, managed the farm, and was head cook at Thurston School. Rose enjoyed cooking and baking her unique Czechoslovakian dishes such as apple strudel, peach dumplings, butterhorns, and skubanky. She also made clothing for her children. In her free time, Rose did jigsaw puzzles, read Christian novels and enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Rose is survived by her children, Betty (Gary) Schieffer of Randolph, NE, Alice (Dan) Nielsen of Bennington, NE, and Dennis (Deb) Rutar of Beemer, NE; 9 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mary Rutar; many nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister; husband; son-in-law, Doug Griener; 1 infant grandson; 5 brothers-in-law, 3 sisters-in-law, and 1 nephew.