Rev. Rose Marie Nack

Rev. Rose Marie Nack died at Johnson Memorial Care Center in Dawson, MN, on November 24, “Christ the King” Sunday, at the age of 77. Jesus was truly her King and she dedicated her life to bringing God’s reign of mercy and love to all. She understood her life as “blessed to be a blessing.” She was indeed an extraordinary blessing to everyone who knew her.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 26 from 5-7:00 PM at Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson.

Services in Celebration of the Life of Rose Marie Nack will be held Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at 2:00 PM at Johnson Memorial Care Center Chapel in Dawson, MN and November 30, 2019 at 2:00 PM at St. John’s Lutheran Church of Rock Township, rural Osage, IA.

Reverend Rose Marie Nack was born February 1, 1942 in Davenport, Washington, the only child of Harvey and Alma Flansburg. She was baptized on May 17, 1942, and confirmed on June 10 in 1956 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Vancouver, Washington. Rose Marie graduated from Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, Washington, 1960, and after two years at Pacific Lutheran University as a voice major and member of the Choir of the West, she graduated in 1964 from the University of Washington. In 1992 she received her Masters of Divinity from Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary. Rose Marie was the pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rock Township, Iowa, Faith Lutheran in Mitchell, Iowa, and visitation pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grafton Iowa, from 1992 until her retirement in 2002. She was the first woman pastor in that area.

Rose Marie married the Rev. Jack R. Lewis in 1962, with whom she had three daughters. Together they lived in Bremerton, Washington and Tübingen, Germany before serving churches in the San Francisco Bay Area of California where Rose Marie was the church choir director, a piano teacher, a nursery school teacher, and started a summer music school. After taking classes at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, in Berkeley, CA, she enrolled full-time at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and was ordained in the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on August 16, 1992. Rose Marie married Gene Nack in 1998, a farmer from Iowa. In July of 2016, she moved into Johnson Memorial Care Center, Dawson, MN where she loved making new friends, served as the Residential Council President, authored the “Welcome Booklet” for new residents, continued to lead chapel worship, and offered pastoral care to those in need. She was Pastor Emeritus, Grace Lutheran Church, Dawson, MN.

Rose Marie was a gifted singer, a wonderful host, a seamstress, and a person of profound faith. She loved music, studying theology, and being a pastor. Feeling especially called to rural ministry, Rose Marie immersed herself in the community and learned everything she could about farming. She once said, “If I was going to talk the talk on Sunday morning, I had to walk the walk the week before. I had to be involved in the lives of the people who had called me to be their shepherd.” Rose Marie was also an author, having written two books and actively thinking about what her third book might be.

She is survived by her daughters: Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis of Minneapolis, MN, Emily (Rev. Kendall) Stelter of Dawson, MN, and Gwen Lewis of Mason City, IA; son-in-law: Rev. Mark Orvick; five grandchildren: Zach Stelter, Noah Stelter, Hannah Stelter, Sig Orvick, and Stellan Orvick; and two foster granddaughters, Brittany and Bethanie Whitmore.

Preceding her in death were her parents and her husband, Gene.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to St. John’s Lutheran Church of Rock Township, Osage, Iowa or Johnson Memorial Care Center, Dawson, MN.

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking

If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.

By Emily Dickinson