Rose Ann E. Stoppkotte passed away surrounded by her family on February 5, 2015, one month shy of her 77th birthday.

Born March 9, 1938 in rural Howard County near Dannebrog, she was the eldest of the three children of Andrew and Esther (Sonderup) Enevoldsen.A lifelong Lutheran, Rose Ann was baptized on May 1, 1938 at Dry Creek Lutheran Church west of Dannebrog, and confirmed at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Dannebrog.Even after moving away, she always loved returning to the Dannebrog Lutheran Church to worship.

Rose Ann grew up on farms near Dannebrog, attended and graduated from Dannebrog High School in 1955, and attended Kearney State Teacher's College.She taught school at District 46 near St. Libory, District 28 (Mile Bridge School) southeast of Grand Island, and District 74 (Seedling Mile) east of Grand Island.In 1962 she met Harold Stoppkotte through Rural Youth, and they married a year later on June 23, 1963 in Dannebrog.Together they raised three children and farmed side-by-side every day of their marriage, until Harold's death in 1994.

Rose Ann cherished every minute with her family, and was a devoted daughter to her parents, calling or visiting them every day.She loved nothing more than spending time with her children and grandchildren, attending their school activities, sharing her love of books and learning, telling stories, and playing 'school', 'store', etc. She was a talented and prolific letter writer to family and friends, and also wrote wonderful short stories to document the memories of her lifetime and those of her loved ones.She also had a passion for photography, her favorite subjects being her family, nature, and every day beauty of her life on the farm.Rose Ann loved living and working on the farm, especially when work involved driving tractors or working with hay.For the past 20 years, she enjoyed caring for the friends she made through her work at Mid Nebraska Independent Services, and valued the many people that she met there.

She is survived by sons Kevin of Grand Island, and Steven (Carol) of Grand Island; daughter Abbie Johnson (Carl) of Lincoln; grandchildren Eleanor Johnson of Lawrence, KS, Grant Johnson of Lincoln, and Elizabeth 'Lizzie' and Lucy Stoppkotte of Grand Island; brother Andrew M. (Ann) Enevoldsen of Grand Island, and sister Lois Mae Helgason of Grand Island; brother-in-law Milton (Kay) Stoppkotte of Chapman, nieces, nephews, and friends, and many cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brothers-in-law Howard Helgason and George Stoppkotte.

Celebration of Life will be Monday, February 9, at 11:00 AM at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Dannebrog, NE. with Pastor Sheri Lodel officiating. Burial will follow in the Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends from 2:00 – 6:00 pm Sunday, February 8, at Livingston-Sonderman Funeral Home.