Rose Klym, 100, Dickinson, died Sunday, October 25, 2020 at St. Benedict’s Health Center, Dickinson. There will be a private Liturgy of Word Service for Rose at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Deacon Ron Keller presiding. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Fairfield. A Memorial Mass will follow in the summer of 2021.
Not many people live to be 100 years old. Our sweet mother, Rose (Evoniuk) Klym, lived to be 100 years and 8 months old. She was a girl of the prairie, born on a farm north of Gorham. She was a lover of nature: herding sheep with her sister Katie, planting gardens, driving a tractor, and helping with harvesting. Along with five other sisters, she cared for her mother at home for four years after her mother had a stroke at age 50; she did all this and more without complaint. She had a kind word for all — never once did we hear her speak ill of anyone. Rose was the last of her ten siblings to pass on to eternity.
Throughout her life, she was a faith-filled woman. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Parish, participated in weekly Eucharistic Adoration, volunteered at the Amen Food Pantry, was a greeter at church on Sundays, and was an active member of Catholic Daughters.
Rose taught country school for several years before marrying William O. Klym on April 12, 1947 in Puyllaup, Washington. There, she worked as a switchboard operator before having children. In 1960, the family moved back to North Dakota. When her children were growing up, she was a 4-H leader. She also worked for Stark County Social Services. She and Bill celebrated almost 69 years together. Mom cared for him at home for eight years as he struggled with dementia. Rose and Bill raised five children and lost two others in infancy.
She was a masterful chef and baker, a whirlwind in the kitchen, always wanting to try something new. We learned a lot sitting at our mother’s table. She prepared delicious Ukrainian food and spent countless hours canning vegetables she grew in her garden.
One of Mom’s favorite people was FDR. She was known to remark that she was thankful that he instituted Social Security. For many years, she volunteered as a poll worker during elections. She taught her children the importance of casting their votes.
She was a fine example of a life well lived. We are so sad at her passing, but we know she is now reunited with Bill, her children whom she never got to nurture to adulthood, her Mother and Dad, and all of her sisters and brothers.
She is survived by her five children: Mike (LouAnn) Klym, Peggy (John) Pfau, Mary (Geoff) Baumann, Bob (Wanda) Klym, Bryan Klym; six grandchildren: Trevor (Alexis) Klym, Matthew (Melanie) Klym, Laura (Adam Kotlarczyk) Pfau, Emily Pfau, Kodi (Brad) Auch, and Alex Klym; and four great-grandchildren: Ella, Ivy, and Archer Auch, and Sam Kotlarczyk. We all “love you to pieces”.
