Rosalee Bird

Rosalee Ann (Jenkins) Bird, 85, of Oelwein, Iowa passed away February 13, 2024, at Oelwein Heath Care Center in Oelwein.

Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein, with Rev. Rick Johnson and Pastor Duane Olsen officiating.
Visitation: 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Friday, February 23, 2024, at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Oelwein and for one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.
Interment: Woodlawn Cemetery, Oelwein, Iowa.
Memorials may be directed in her name to the Otter Creek Animal Shelter in Hazleton or Cedar Valley Hospice.
Online Obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com

Rosalee was born July 27, 1938, in Byron Township in Buchanan County. She grew up on her grandparents’ farm. Rosalee attended Byron Center #8 school through 3rd grade and finished her schooling at Winthrop High School graduating in 1956. On November 18, 1956, she was united in marriage to the love of her life Howard Wilson Bird at the Methodist Church in Winthrop. They made their home in Oelwein until 1979 then due to a job transfer, the family moved to the Amana Colonies. In 1994, after retiring Rosie and Howard moved back to Oelwein.

Rosie worked as a homemaker, babysitter both in her home and in preschools, and as a clerk in gift shops in the Amana Colonies. Rosie spent many years as an RSVP volunteer helping children at Wings Park School. She was a member of Eastern Star, the Aurora Historical Society, the Aurora Legion Auxiliary, and Grace United Methodist Church.

Rosie was the happiest raising her children and taking care of her “Howard”. She was an excellent cook and always made sure there was an extra chair for any of her children’s friends. Her children and grandchildren loved her goulash, madonna salad, and mush cake. She loved being in her gardens with her hostas, lilies, roses from her family farm, and zinnias. She loved canning pickles, tomato sauce, grape juice, and grape jam. She loved music, especially listening to polkas on RFDTV. She was a big Chicago Cubs fan. Drinking a cup of coffee and reading her newspapers was her morning routine. She loved to discuss politics on the local, state, and national level. She loved the family pets, especially her “Shirley B”.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Renee (Lonnie) Cantrell of Oelwein, her sons Gordon (special friend Cheryl) of Apple Valley, Minnesota and David (Terri) Bird of Bossier City, Louisiana. Fondly remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Brian (Christie) and family Annalee, Everett, Devin Bird of Minneapolis, Minnesota; her favorite granddaughter Lindsay Bird of Hudson, Wisconsin; Brandon (Jane) Bird and family Julianne, Lily, Genevieve of Bossier City, Louisiana; Dr. Brenton (Corinne) Bird and son Dean of Bossier City, Louisiana. Two step-grandsons Randall Cantrell of Oelwein and Jay (Kelly) Cantrell of Kansas City, Missouri. A daughter-in-law Beth Bird of Edina, Minnesota. Two brothers Paul (Pat) Luloff of Burlington and Mark (May Kay) Luloff of Winthrop. Sister-in-law Kazuko Bird of Oelwein, brother-in-law Roger Bird of Urbandale, and brother-in-law John Napoli of Columbus, Ohio. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from Oelwein and the Amana Colonies.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Howard; brother, LeRoy “Ike” Luloff; special dog (Shirley B).