Nancy Rae Rowe

Nancy Rae Rowe passed away unexpectedly at her home in Holmen, WI, on Saturday, May 9, 2020. Nancy was born on March 29, 1951, in Jackson, MN, to Gerald “Bud” and Bertha (Hesebeck) Rowe. She graduated from Jackson High School in 1969 and continued her education at Augustana College (now University) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where she studied nursing and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science Cum Laude. She then worked in the nursing field in New Ulm, Jackson and Mankato, Minnesota.

In 1978, she continued her education at the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. During her education, she worked in the nursing field in Virginia. She graduated in 1980 with a Master of Science (MSN) in Community Health and completed the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program.

After graduating with her advanced degree, she settled in La Crosse, WI, and was employed at Gundersen Health System as a women's health nurse practitioner. She retired in August 2018 after 38 years of caring deeply for her patients. She often provided for her patients through their own life cycles from teens to mothers to older adults.  She considered it an honor and privilege to support women and children in any way she could in and outside of her professional role.  Nancy was a mentor to doctors, physicians assistants, midwives, RNs and LPNs and even made time for good relationships with lab crews and administrative staff.

In August 1992, she married Lem Genovese. Lem and “the Nance,” as he called her, met as pen pals during Lem’s service in Desert Storm. Nancy loved the arts, going to Broadway plays and discovering new cultures and cuisines. She was an avid knitter and filled her free time with creating incredibly thoughtful pieces for Hats 4 The Homeless and World Vision’s Knits for Kids. She loved her garden and to fill it with all kinds of exotic flowers. Nancy especially loved to travel and shower those around her with thoughtful love and gifts whenever she could, especially her nieces and nephews. She was one of a kind, with a personality as big as the sky. She always had time for a chat - with her signature red nails, she prided herself on looking her best. She had an eye for fashion and shared it with all she knew. She was a true inspiration and will live on in all of those she left behind, too soon.

She is survived by her husband of 27 years, Lem Genovese, her brother, James (Glenda) Rowe of Jackson, MN, her sister, Karen Larson of Balaton, MN. Her nieces: Jessica (Keith) Whitmore of Douglassville, PA, Elizabeth (Chris) Hoff of Balaton, MN and Melinda “Mindy” Rowe of Spirit Lake, IA. Her nephews: Nicholaus “Nic” (Tara) Rowe of Jackson, MN, Mitchel “Mitch” (Laurie) Rowe of Jackson, MN, and Joshua “Gunnar” (Sara) Larson of Brooklyn, NY. She is also survived by many great-nieces and nephews, some of whom called her Aunt Nene. She also adopted many nieces and nephews into her heart over her life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Bertha Rowe and her very special grandma, Elena (Nielsen) Rowe.

She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her as family, a friend, or a health care provider. A private family visitation was held per Nancy’s longtime wishes. Plans will be announced later for a larger celebration of her life and career and ways to honor her in lieu of flowers and donations.