Rose G. Brickl

Rose Genevieve (Stoltz) Brickl died peacefully on August 23, 2024, enveloped in the love, presence, and prayers of her family. Rose was born to John Stoltz and Elizabeth Doyle Stoltz on August 10, 1926, on Keysville Ridge, Wisconsin. She grew up on the family farm with 7 brothers and sisters, Ed, Leo, Mary, Marcella, Joe, Veronica, and Lorraine.  It was a hard life but also a wonderful life that Rose believed only someone who is part of a large Catholic farm family can understand. She attended school at St. Mary’s Grade School in Keysville, as had her father many years before, and she graduated from Ithaca High School.  Some of her children, grandchildren and even a couple of her great-grandchildren also graduated from Ithaca.

Rose met the love of her life, Ed Brickl, at a dance when she was 16.  Two years later, they were married on September 5, 1944, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Keysville.  They vowed to love and honor God together in their marriage and to accept children as gifts from God.  God blessed them with 11 children, and they celebrated 61 anniversaries together before Ed passed away.

Rose was a hard-working woman for her entire life.  She cooked, cleaned, diapered babies, planted gardens, butchered chickens, sewed clothing for the children, often also working a job outside the home, including stints at Badger Ordinance, door-to-door clothing sales, operated a general store and café, and sold high-end clothing at a retail store in La Crosse. The family went to Mass every week and to the delight of the kids, Ed and Rose would sing together in the car on the way home or on their way to Sunday family dinners throughout the area.  They danced at every opportunity, primarily at wedding dances and enjoyed every step. Rose and Ed raised their children in the best way they knew.  They tried to teach their children to know the value of faith, family, hard work, loyalty, forgiveness, tenacity, and love.  They were strict but Rose always said she was pretty sure every one of those kids found a way around some of the rules.

After Ed’s passing, Rose was blessed and happy to be able to remain in her home, drive to Mass every day and take several international trips after the age of 80. She had time for her hobbies, hand painting Christmas cards for friends and family, painting glass and finishing dozens of word search books and intricate adult coloring books.  But at age 90 Rose had to make the difficult transition to an assisted living apartment at Laurel Manor in Onalaska. In the 6 years she lived there it became home. In late December 2022 Rose’s health deteriorated further and she lived her last days at Bethany St. Joseph’s nursing home.  The people there were so very kind to her, and she and her family were grateful.  In those last months, Rose had many visits from family and friends, fresh flowers, dozens and dozens of cards and balloons for her birthdays and holidays and sweet treats at her elbow always.

After 98 years of life, Rose’s earthly journey ended on August 23, 2024, the feast day of Saint Rose.  Rose was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Brickl, in October 2005, sons Michael (1981) and Karl (2011), her parents, John and Elizabeth Stoltz, brothers Ed (2012), Leo (2006) and Joe (1941) and sisters, Mary (2019), Marcella (1988), Veronica (2019), and Lorraine (2024) and her sons-in-law, Terry Gardner (Janet), Doug Anderson (Mary) and Paul Voelker (Lynda).

Rose is survived by her children: James (Marilyn Franzini), West Salem, Wisconsin, Stanley (Lisa), West Salem, Wisconsin, Lynda Templen (Voelker), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Eugene (Betty), Olympia, Washington, Janet Van Oss (Mike), Green Bay, Wisconsin, Mary Anderson, Big Bend, Wisconsin, Edward Jr., La Crosse, Wisconsin, Mark (Majda), Winona, Minnesota, Carolyn Riley (George), Oakdale, Minnesota, and daughter-in-law Mary Brickl (Karl), Onalaska, Wisconsin and 32 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law Ginny Brickl, many nieces, nephews, and their families and her dear friend Rita Netwal.

Visitation will be held at St. Patick’s Catholic Church, 1031 Main St., Onalaska, Wisconsin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024.  The Requiem Mass will follow at 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch and a celebration of Rose’s life.  Memorials may be made to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.