Eileen M. Rotta

FOREST CITY - Eileen M. Rotta, age 72 of Forest City, died Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at her home in rural Forest City.



Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, October 10, 2008 at 10:30 AM at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan, Iowa with Fr. Henry Huber officiating.



Burial will be at St. James Catholic Cemetery in Forest City.



Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM on Thursday, October 9th at the funeral home with a 6:30 PM Scripture Service. Visitation will continue an hour prior to service at the church.





Eileen was born to Alice (Reynders) and George Vander Loop in Ladysmith, WI, on January 8, 1936, the 11th of 13 children. She graduated from Our Lady of Sorrows high school, Ladysmith, in 1954.



Eileen married Frank Rotta in Ladysmith on October 5, 1957 and they moved to Milwaukee after Frank completed military service in 1958. In 1961, they moved to suburban Chicago, IL., where she sold Avon and Mary Kay Cosmetics.



In 1973, the family, with seven children, moved to Forest City when Frank began employment with Winnebago. Later, Eileen also worked at Winnebago Personnel in the late 1970ís. In 1987, She graduated from Hamilton College as a medical secretary at age 51.



Eileen's greatest joy and accomplishment was raising her seven children to be happy and successful. She was a volunteer on Forest City's ambulance service and at the Robertelle Center. She loved playing golf, "hand and foot" card game, walking and hiking, lunching with the Red Hat Ladies, and watching her grandkids grow up.



After Frank retired from Winnebago in 1990, Eileen and Frank traveled with grandchildren in the summers and spent winters in the south. They traveled all around the United States and visited Australia, Holland, Poland, Germany, Alaska, and Mexico. In 1992, they also established Turkey Roost Antiques to buy and sell antiques and collectibles.



For the last six winters,, Eileen and Frank lived in a RV Park in Sun City, AZ. Eileen enjoyed photography, joined a hiking club and the "Choralaires". She is especially proud of her "exhilarating" one day, 13- mile hike into the Grand Canyon at age 69 and her "singing career" as a soprano in South Pacific, Oklahoma and other productions that the RV Park Choralaires performed. She served as president until she fell ill this year.



She is survived by her husband Frank of 51 years; and children Maria (Kent) Koschmeder, Williamsburg, IA; Joe (Dianne) Rotta, Merrill, IA; Tom (Paula) Rotta, Forest City, IA, Elizabeth (Lee) Mooty, Jensen Beach, FL; Teresa (Ken) Skjeie, Forest City and Mike (Trisha) Rotta, Faribault, MN.



She also is survived by 13 grandchildren: Jessica Koschmeder and fiancÈe Dan Krogstad, of Goleta, CA; Casey Koschmeder, Iowa City; Andrew Rotta, Westminister, CO; Lynnae Rotta, Omaha, NE; Melissa Rotta, Merrill, IA; Mathew Mooty, Pittsburgh, PA; Michael Mooty, Melbourne, FL; Rachel Mooty, Jensen Beach, FL; Amanda Skjeie and friend Jordan Branstad, and Nicole Skjeie, Forest City; and Ashley, Logan and Brandon Rotta, Faribault, MN.



In her family, she is survived by sisters Martina Doell, Hortonville, WI; Sister John Vander Loop and Sister Bernice Vander Loop, Ladysmith, WI; Dorothy Krajewski, Onalaska, WI; Gertrude O'Brien, Phoenix, AZ; Audrey (Don) Kvist, Minneapolis, MN; Anne (Jack) Hauber, Webster, NY and brothers Paul (Milly) Vander Loop, Bruce, WI; Tony (Julie) Vander Loop , Boyanup, Western Australia; and George (Kathy) Vander Loop, Elk River, MN.



She was proceeded in death by her daughter Margaret and grandson Cory Moore, parents Alice & George Vander Loop, sister Marie Haasl, Babbitt, MN; Eunice Rybicki, Green Bay, WI, several nieces and nephews and her mother-in-law Catherine Rotta, Milwaukee.