Roseanna Emma Kunkel-Kerns (Girard)

SIOUX CITY -- Roseanna E. Kunkel-Kerns, 82, of Sioux City passed away Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at her residence.

Services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Riverside Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Charles Wolff officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 4:30 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Berkemier Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent online to www.christysmith.com .

Rose was born Sept. 6, 1928, to Aldore and Alphosine (Girard) Girard. She grew up and attended school and graduated from Burbank (S.D.) High School.

She married Charles Kunkel on April 22, 1946, in Vermillion, S.D. He passed away Jan. 21, 2003, in Sioux City. She later married Charles Kerns on July 29, 2003. He passed away Feb. 8, 2004.

Rose worked as a homemaker, raising her 10 children. She also was employed at Zenith, with Quick Cafe, a vending machine food distributor and at the Plaza Bowl.

She enjoyed cards, dice games, family events and puzzles. The family will remember her as a loving, feisty firecracker who was a protector. But she was also the gentle, funny and witty mom, grandma, great-grandma and great-great-grandma they loved.

Survivors include her children, Pamela and Dennis Ehlers of Moville, Iowa, Janice and Evert Brown of Sioux City, Duane and Sharon Kunkel of Sioux City, Barbara and Gary Letcher of Jefferson, S.D., James Kunkel of Sioux City, Jerry and Jo Kunkel of Sioux City, Colleen and Don Perera of Sioux City, Timothy and Chuck Smith of Sioux City, and Dorreen Kunkel of Kansas City, Mo.; 23 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; a brother, Leonard "Whimp" and Rita Girard of Woodbine, Ore.; and three sisters-in-law.

She was preceded in death by her two husbands, Charles Kunkel of 56 years, and Charles Kerns; her parents; a daughter, Mary Kunkel; a daughter-in-law, Debbie Kunkel; five brothers; and two sisters.