Rosemary E. Flees, 89 of Helenville, died peacefully on Thursday, December 28, 2017 at Black Hawk Senior Residence of Fort Atkinson.

Rosemary was born on January 26, 1928 in Milwaukee, WI, the daughter of Frank and Margaret (Levien) Schaeffer.  As a child, her family moved often and on November 16, 1946, she married Donald Flees in Milwaukee.  The couple moved to Helenville in 1959 and bought the family farm.  Rosemary wasn’t just the wife of a farmer, but a true partner in the operation.  Don and Rosemary enjoyed 56 years of marriage until his death in 2002.  She loved to cook and would nurture anything that lived.  She was an adventurous person and loved to dance the polka with her husband.  She learned to fly and earned her private pilot license.  Above all other interests, was her character.  She was a devoted wife, a caring mother, foster parent to many children, and a loving grandmother and great-grandmother.  One of son Rick’s most cherished memories of his mother, is receiving a jar of Skippy Peanut Butter every month while serving in Vietnam for 2 years.  She put her family’s benefit before her own and was a true matriarch.   She was an encourager and was generous with her time.  She was committed to the path her and her husband had chosen and did what it took to make ends meet.   Rosemary was loved dearly and will be missed.   

She is survived by: her Son Richard (Janice) Flees of Helenville; Granddaughters Jennifer (Matthew) Peltier of Castle Rock, CO and Catherine Rosemary (Christopher) McNeely of Mechanicsville, MD; Great-Grandchildren Joshua, Lorelei, Adelina, Sadie Lynn, and Amelia Jane.  She is also survived by a number of other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Sister Margaret Gibbons, and Brother Frank Schaeffer.

The family would like to express an sincere thank you to the staff of Black Hawk Senior Residence and Rainbow Hospice for the loving and quality care provided.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00AM on Wednesday, January 3, 2018 at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church with Fr. Mariadas Bekala presiding.  Visitation will be from 4:00PM – 6:00PM on Tuesday at the Olsen-Gibson Funeral Home of Jefferson and on Wednesday from 10:00AM until the time of service at the church.  Burial will take place at St. Luke’s Cemetery of Rome following the service.

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