Rosella "Rose" Kerkove

Rosella "Rose" Kerkove age 92 of North Washington, IA, died Sunday, June 19, 2022, at her home surrounded by her family. A private family service will take place at a later date. Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton has been entrusted with arrangements. Rose was born on June 24, 1929, to Joseph and Rose (Wegner) Tilkes on her parents’ farm near North Washington. She was the oldest of the Tilkes’ eight children and growing up, she helped her parents with a lot of chores on the farm. She went to a one-room schoolhouse, sometimes by horse and buggy, and also attended the Catholic school in North Washington. In the early 1950s, Rose met a young soldier named Jack Kerkove through mutual friends when Jack was home on leave, and the rest is history. The couple was married on Oct. 20, 1952, beginning a wonderful marriage that would last almost 70 years. Rose and Jack welcomed three beautiful children — David, Linda, and Nita — who grew up with a mother who could be stern (if she told you to clean your room, well, you’d better be cleaning!) but was always loving. When her children arrived home from school, she always had something freshly baked waiting for them. The Kerkoves moved to North Washington and enjoyed many good years in their home on the little city’s north side. Their children fondly remember sitting with their mother outside under a shade tree on hot days, and Mom always having dimes for them when the ice cream truck came through town. Rose had a passion for gardening, and she made the best, sweetest cordial, a liqueur that was easily mistaken for juice. And her family will tell you that her fruitcake that she soaked in brandy was simply divine; the joke at the Kerkove home was “I’ll take another shot of fruitcake.” After her children finished high school, Rose worked with Jack at his insurance business, Family Benefit in Waterloo, and husband and wife worked side by side until they retired. Rose was an excellent sewer, embroiderer, knitter, and crocheting. She was a vivacious reader and also loved to watch Westerns. From a young age, she was an animal lover, save for that dang squirrel that was getting fat eating out of her bird feeders. For many years, she and her husband enjoyed going to dances, and they loved spending time with their family which grew to include six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. When Jack passed away on June 1, she told wonderful stories about the life they shared, and as difficult as her death is for her family and loved ones, they know that Mom and Dad are dancing in Heaven today. Rose is survived by one son, David (Toni) Kerkove of New Hampton; one daughter, Linda (Al) Burrichter of New Hampton; six grandchildren, Cody (Karla) Kerkove of Maxwell, Eric (Nanami) Kerkove of Spokane, Washington, Scott (Kendra) Lufkin of Grundy Center, Brad (Jill) Lufkin of Okoboji, Adam (Brenda) Geerts of New Hampton, and Lacy Carolan of New Hampton; 12 great-grandchildren; two brothers, LaVerne (Connie) Tilkes of New Hampton and Vincent Tilkes of California; three sisters, Jane (Gene) Lynch of Lawler, Larene Whalen of New Hampton, and Darlene Franzen of New Hampton; son-in-law, Steve Geerts of New Hampton; and four sisters-in-law. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jack, in 2022; daughter, Nita Geerts; great-grandson, Alex Geerts; a sister, Frances Chapman; and a brother, Greg Tilkes.