Rosemarie Niedermann

Rosemarie (Stracka) Niedermann, age 97, died peacefully on Friday, February 21, 2025, surrounded by family, in her residence at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center, Rockford, IL. She was born on January 13, 1928, to Anton and Katherine (Bauer) Stracka in Hartford, WI. Rosemarie graduated from Hartford High School, Class of 1945, and St. Mary Hospital School of Nursing (now Columbia Health System), Milwaukee, WI. Rosemarie pursued her youthful passion for travel by practicing as a registered nurse in Hartford and Madison, WI, St. Petersburg and Miami, FL, San Francisco, CA, and Honolulu, Hawaii, (at Kapualani Maternity Hospital) prior to her marriage. She also worked in Freeport, IL (St. Joseph Hospital) and finally at Singer Mental Health Center in Rockford, IL, from where she retired, after 23 years of service as a psychiatric nurse.

She met Karl E. Niedermann in Madison, WI and they were married at St. Kilian's Church in Hartford, WI, on August 20, 1955. He pre-deceased her on October 7, 2010, after 55 years of marriage. She is survived by her children, Dr. Karl A. (Casey) Niedermann of Franklin, WI, Kathy (Bruce) Janusevic of Rockford, IL, Mary Rose (David) Damisch of Lily Lake, IL, Laura (David) Snow of Belvidere, IL, James Niedermann and Paul Niedermann, of Rockford, IL, and Amy Jo Behling of Monroe, WI. Also survived by grandchildren Karl (Elissa) Niedermann and family, Adrienne (Sonny) Hernandez, Kendra (Adam) Paterson, Daniel (Lia) Niedermann and family, Aaron Niedermann, Jeffrey (Madeline) Janusevic, Emily (Kolton) Kuczynski, Luke Damisch, Benjamin Damisch (Lauren Williams), Hannah (Dan Le) Damisch, Evelyn Behling, Liam (Elaina Johnson) Behling, and cherished great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by her brother James (Karen) Stracka of Pasadena, CA, sister-in-law Margaret Stracka of Madison, WI, brother-in-law Robert (Mary) Niedermann of New Berlin, Wi, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

Rosemarie was pre-deceased by her husband Karl, her parents, her mother and father-in-law Karl and Anna (Bruggmann) Niedermann, her beloved grandson Jacob T. Janusevic, her brothers Carl, Robert (Bob) and Anthony (Tony) Stracka, and sisters-in-law Barbara Stracka, Diane Stracka and Margaret Marti.

Rosemarie was co-owner, with her husband Karl, of The Vision Center/Niedermann Optical in Rockford, IL. She was steadfast in her Catholic faith and a member of St. Rita Church and the Ladies of the Knights of Columbus, the American and Illinois Nurses Associations (ANA and INA), EAA Chapter 22 (Cottonwood Airport 1C3) and the Rockford Power Squadron, through which she and Karl and family enjoyed many boating and fishing trips throughout the Midwest and "up north." Rosemarie will be remembered as a loving mother to seven children, all of whom attended and/or graduated from college and graduate schools. She was supportive of all of her children's academic and extracurricular pursuits. She was an adoring grandmother and great-grandmother. She coordinated and survived numerous vacations for a family of 9 over the years, enjoyed attending optical conferences all over the United States, and a retirement trip to Switzerland. Her hobbies included traveling, decorating, drawing, painting, and crafts. She had a lovely soprano voice and enjoyed singing as a soloist and in choirs as a young woman, and in the Fairhaven choir during her residence there. Rosemarie appreciated the beauty of nature and the outdoors. The family wishes to extend a special thanks to the Fairhaven staff for their compassionate care and loving support while Rosemarie was a resident of the Fairhaven community for 11 years, and to the St. Bridget Church Eucharistic ministers.

Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd., Rockford, IL 61108. Services are pending at this time.

Memorials may be made to St. Rita Catholic Church (stritarockford.org), St. Bridget Church (stbridgetlovespark.org), or Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center (www.fairhaven.cc).