Rosella Mae "Rosie" Behrens Dage, 92, of Sioux City, passed away Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, at a local care facility.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Sioux City. The Rev. Kenny Hsu will officiate. Burial will be in Fairfield Cemetery, Rock Branch, Iowa. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, with family present at 6 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel. Online condolences may be given at www.meyerbroschapels.com.
She was born on June 2, 1927, in Anthon, Iowa, rural Woodbury County, to Fred M. Schumann and Dorothy M. (Eichhorn) Schumann. She was raised in the Anthon vicinity and attended rural school. Due to her mother becoming seriously ill, she was forced to quit school after the eighth grade to take care of the family. During that time, she performed many duties as well as taking care of her brother and sister while her mother regained her health.
On Sept. 26, 1948, she was united in marriage to Dale F. Behrens at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in rural Battle Creek (Midway), Iowa. They attended church at Trinity Lutheran Church in Anthon, where Rosella taught Sunday School. Together they farmed in the Anthon area until 1957, when they moved to Battle Creek. Here they farmed and became members of St. John's Lutheran Church. Rosella cleaned the church on a weekly basis for eight years along with teaching Sunday School. In 1967, they moved to Sioux City, and became members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Rosella cleaned doctor's offices for several years before becoming a waitress at the Biltmore. She worked there for the next eight years. She then became a sales associate for JC Penney’s, where she worked for 20 years.
Dale and Rosella were blessed with five wonderful children before Dale passed away in 1982. Rosella married Dick Dage in 1996. They enjoyed dancing, camping, wintering in Texas, playing cards and Sequence, as well as spending time with family and friends. Dick passed away in 2011.
Over the years, Rosella enjoyed baking, making doughnuts and homemade bread, canning fruits and vegetables (canning over 100 bottles of ketchup annually), crocheting doilies, and making afghans, as well as participating in many church activities such as the quilting group, Women's League and card care correspondent.
She is survived by her children, Jeanine Simmons of Omaha, JoAnn (Randy) Borchers of Omaha, Janice (Rich) Meek of Sioux City, and Duane (Margaret) Behrens of Sioux City; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Dale Behrens; son, Dennis A. Behrens; her second husband, Dick Dage; brother, Verlin Schumann; sister-in-law, Arlene Schumann; sister, Velda Schumann; brother-in-law, Lynne Behrens; sister-in-law, Bonnie Behrens; sister-in-law, Lillian Savage; brother-in-law, Clyde Savage; brother-in-law, Albert McCormick; sister-in-law, Joyce McCormick; and nephew, DeLloyd Schumann.