Rose Mary Prokash passed away on Good Friday, April 15th, 2022, in Shawano, WI, on her 95th birthday. Our mother died peacefully in her own bed, surrounded by, and being held by her loving family. She was able to hug, kiss, and be kissed by each of her ten children the day before she passed.

Rose was born on Good Friday, April 15th, 1927, in Kewaunee County, WI, daughter of Wenzel and Elizabeth Schlies, the eighth of her parents’ nine children. She graduated from Kewaunee High School in 1944 and continued to Door-Kewaunee County College. 

Floyd Prokash was a childhood friend of the family. Rose accepted his proposal of marriage after he returned from serving in the US Marines as a fighter pilot in WWII. They were wed on February 8, 1947, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Stangelville – where Rose was baptized, confirmed, and where as husband and wife, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  Their marriage continued until Floyd’s death on September 22nd, 2001.

Rose grew up on a dairy farm, which instilled a strong work ethic throughout her long life. She first worked as a salesclerk for Gimbels Department Store in Milwaukee, until she was requested to work as secretary to the treasurer of the local senator. Rose’s time in the workforce was put on pause with her marriage to Floyd, and later, their ten children. She eventually returned as a salesclerk for JCPenney in Shawano, working for almost 15 years until she retired.

Rose and Floyd were life-long committed members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School. Rose’s commitments included teaching Catholic Christian Doctrine at Sacred Heart School, singing in the funeral choir, bringing communion to hospitalized patients, working the semi-annual rummage sale as a member of the Christian Mothers, praying as an intercessory prayer warrior on the church prayer chain, and catering the annual Priest Golf Outing dinner for over 30 years. She was most proud to be a founding member of the Wisconsin Right-to-Life chapter. She prayed her rosary every day of her life.

Together Rose and Floyd toured the US in their motorhome, often wintering in Florida with their friends from the local Good Sam Club and the Shawano Area Campers. Air travel took them to Australia, Hawaii, Los Angeles, New York, Canada, New Orleans, and Miami. Favorite motorcycle destinations were to area lakes and Door County. Family camping trips, boating, fishing, and family reunions were always important. Rose also took every opportunity for European travel – twice with her brother and once with her daughter and granddaughter, traveling to Bosnia to visit Medjugorje, Austria to visit relatives of Maria Von Trapp, and even connecting with distant relatives from Czechoslovakia. 

Talents and hobbies included tending her vegetable and flower gardens, making sauerkraut, canning tomatoes, preserving strawberry jam, baking banana bread, kolaches and sauerkraut biscuits, sewing quilts, making baby and doll clothes for her grandchildren, embroidering dish towels to give as gifts, assembling 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles, playing Bridge, Scrabble, Yahtzee, and any card or board game with her grandchildren.  She even started a gym membership at age 80, staying active and meeting new friends at Curves and Strong Bones.

Rose was privileged to live independently in her own home under the watchful eyes and tender assistance of family and her new best friend Chrissy Dietrich. Even throughout Covid, she was able to have visitors with FaceTime – because Rose at age 95 was technologically capable of using her iPad.

Our seemingly invincible Rose took us by surprise when she took her final breath on her 95th birthday. Her entire family was ready to celebrate another momentous birthday, even fulfilling her special request for homemade angel food cake. We misunderstood her – it was Angel Food she was going for.

Survivors include her children, Katheryn Marie (Michael) Eiseman of McKinney, TX and their six children, Michael, Matthew (Jodie), Jennifer, Elisa (Ben Thornton), Katie, and Mark (Shannon), and grandchildren: MacKenzie, MaKayla, Daniel, Lily, Gloria, Jonathan, Lola, Adeline, Brandon, Christian, Ethan, and Bennett; Mary Ellen Bandsma of Lexington, KY and her five children, Brian (Moira), Brett (Stephanie), Greg (Bridget), Emily (Nate Clark), and Sara (Bill Zastrow), and sixteen grandchildren: Ward, Simon, Oliver, Adelia, Oran, Reagan, Lily, Margot, Hailey, Avery, Hazel, Issac, Isobel, James, Nora, and Aidan; David Joseph (Posie) Prokash of Ham Lake, MN and their four children: Heidi (Tom Zempel), Jedd (Cassie), Bridget (Brian Wisniewski), and Justin and seven grandchildren, Ophelia, Delilah, Grayson, Braxton, Caden, Dylan, and Cole; Richard Floyd (Cindy) Prokash of Star Prairie, WI and their three children, Rick, Ben, and Becky (Matt Anderson), Cindy’s three children,  Karl (Janelle) Campeau, Dan (Danielle) Campeau, and Marcus (Rachel) Dalton, and ten grandchildren: Nora, Josie (deceased), Elliot, Julia, Jacques, Colten, Oaklen, Izzy, Gabe, Kenton, and Clea; Nancy Elizabeth Prokash of Shawano, WI; Barbara Rose (Evan) Bell of  New York, NY and their two children, Monica and Maxine; Laura Jean (Ron) Heuer of Austin, TX and their two children, Nicole (Mark Kobriger), and Lisa Pennycook (Zack Crump), and Ron’s four children, Daniel (Kimberly) Heuer, Rhonda (Mike Thacker), Laura (Chris Romeu), and Emily, and eleven grandchildren,  Hailey, Henry, Hudson, Harris, Hendrix, Camille, Maya, Zachary, Xavier, Bryan, and Carter; Deborah Ann (Fred) Laedtke, of Shawano, WI and their son, Jason and two grandchildren, Grace and Garrett;  Paul Michael (Sherri Runge) Prokash, of Gillett, WI and Sherri’s children, Bryce and Brittany, and one granddaughter, Mya;  Floyd “(Jeffrey” (Jill) Prokash, of Shawano, WI, and their three children, Joe, Josh, and Mark. 

Rose is survived by all ten of her children and their spouses; fifty-five grandchildren; fifty-nine great-grandchildren; brother-in law, Martin Heuer, of Seminole Florida; two sisters-in-law, Germaine Berkovitz and Evelyn Schlies, both of Manitowoc; two cousins, Jake Johanek of Green Bay, and Sister Theresa Schlies of Manitowoc; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Rose lost her granddaughter, Amy Laedtke, on April 11th, 2003 just after her 16th birthday, and her great-granddaughter, Josie, on December 12th, 2020 at the tender age of 5 months.

Living until age 95, Rose was preceded in death by many of her dearest friends and relatives, but her 8 siblings were the hardest on her heart: Mary (Louis) Krummel, Bea (John) Porubcansky, Stella (Eugene) Stangel, Eva (Edward) Mleziva, Clara (Raymond) Jurgens, Frank (Rose) Schlies, Wencil “Jim” Schlies Jr., and Edward Schlies.

Funeral Mass for Rose Mary will be celebrated on Friday, April 22, 2022, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shawano. Fr. Scott Valentyne, Fr. Larry Seidl, and Fr. Mark Mleziva will concelebrate the Mass. Entombment will be at the Sacred Heart Mausoleum. Visitation will begin on Thursday, April 21, 2022, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Mickelson Funeral Service in Shawano. A parish wake service will take place that evening at 7:00 pm followed by a family rosary service. Visitation will resume on Friday at the church, beginning at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers and plants the family prefers memorials in Rose Mary’s name to Sacred Heart Catholic Church and School online at sacredheartshawano.org.

Mickelson Funeral & Cremation Service, Inc. is assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences at www.mickelsonfs.com.