Rose Baker

Rose Brouwer Baker, age 94, of Willmar, died Monday morning, October 9, at Bethesda Grand Nursing Home in Willmar.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, October 12, at the Assembly of God Church in Willmar. Interment will be at the Roseland Reformed Church Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, October 11, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer's Association or the Bethesda Foundation.

Rose was born March 15, 1923 on the family farm in Crooks Township in Renville County, Minnesota, the daughter of Tom and Jennie (Negen) Knapper. She grew up in the Roseland area and received her education at District #87 School. She married Harland Brouwer on October 25, 1944 and they lived and farmed in the Roseland area. Rose was employed as a cook for the school in Roseland and later at Molenaar, Inc. for many years. Harland died in 1983. Rose later married Donald Baker on February 14, 1987 and they made their home in Willmar.

Rose was a former member of Roseland Reformed Church and a current member of the Assembly of God Church in Willmar. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, and loved doing dishes. She also enjoyed traveling with Don on his Harley motorcycle.

She is survived by two sons: Philip (and Bev) Brouwer of Inwood, IA, and Paul (and Colleen) Brouwer of Blomkest; a daughter: Kathie (and Harley) Boehm of Black River Falls, WI; a daughter-in-law: Alvina Brouwer (and friend Duane Lhotka) of Litchfield; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are nine stepchildren: Bev Harvey, Dennis (and Corinne) Baker, Janet (and Terry) Morse, Janice (and Roger) Boelter, Bruce (and Mary) Baker, Robert Baker, Barry (and Corinne) Baker, Brad (and Mary) Baker, and Richard (and Kim) Baker; 30 step-grandchildren; 26 step-great-grandchildren; and 13 step-great-great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands: Harland Brouwer in 1983 and Donald Baker in 1993; a son: Alan Brouwer in 2012; a daughter-in-law: Barbara Brouwer; a grandson: Allan Boehm; a grandson-in-law: Todd Stern; a great-grandson: Charles Nething, Jr.; four brothers: Jack Knapper, John Knapper, Henry Knapper, and a brother in infancy; four sisters: Hilda Gort, Ramona Gustafson, Alice Gort and Minnie Seehusen; and two step-sons-in-law: Dennis "Red" Harvey and Herbert Harvey.

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