Rose Lackner

Rose M. Lackner

          Rose Lackner, born in Ely, Minnesota to Anton and Lucija Paun, passed away on February 5, 2026, in West Des Moines, Iowa. Rose graduated from St. Cloud State College in 1957 and taught first-grade in Melrose, Minnesota followed by over 30 years at Washington Elementary School in Hibbing, Minnesota teaching first- and second-grades. 

          Rose married Louis A. Lackner on December 26, 1964. Louie always joked that it would be “a cold day in h__” before they would marry. As it turned out, it was an actual 40 degrees below zero that late December day in Chisholm, Minnesota. Rose and Lou had a wonderful marriage of nearly 54 years. They enjoyed traveling, golfing, socializing, and they eventually split their time between Sun City, Arizona and Hibbing for 21 years before Lou’s passing in 2018. Rose moved to West Des Moines, Iowa to be closer to her niece Mary in 2019. 

          Throughout her life, Rose showed enormous talent in creating beautiful hand-crafted items. She was an accomplished seamstress, created intricate embroidered greeting cards on her machine, knitted hundreds of complicated sweaters, made keepsake Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, worked in a silver shop creating one-of-a-kind silver jewelry, and created numerous other hand-crafted gifts and items throughout the years. Rose was a woman of great faith, and prayed numerous novenas for her family members and friends who may have had some suffering in their lives. She was abundantly generous with her love, time, and worldly goods. 

          Rose was preceded in death by her husband Lou, her parents Anton and Lucija Paun; in-laws Tony and Dorothy Lackner; sisters and brothers-in-law Mary and Nick Spehar and Ann and Tom Karakash; her nieces, Anne (Ralph) Spehar Berge, Rose (Jon) Spehar Isaacson; nephews Mark and Paul Lackner; and her great nephew David Karakash. Rose is survived by her niece Mary (Larry) Spehar Everett; nephew Mark Karakash who delighted her with regular visits and help throughout the years including visits to Iowa; nephews Peter and Paul Karakash who helped her in the months following Lou’s passing, as did her nieces Kris Skramstad Madich and Carol Lackner Brandt. Rose is also survived by her niece and nephews Teresa Karakash Felmlee, John Karakash, and Jon Lackner, as well as many great- nieces and great-nephews of whom she was so very proud. 

          A mass for Rose will take place on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with visitation at 10:30 a.m.