Rosemary E. Oelke

Rosemary E Oelke, 80, of Horicon, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 6, 2026 at Prairie Ridge Assisted Living in Waupun surrounded by family.

Rosemary was born on June 20, 1945 in West Bend, WI to John Rady and Audrey Kruse. She was raised around the Eagle, WI area and graduated from Mukwonago High School. On September 28, 1970 she was united in marriage with Gary Oelke. They moved to Beaver Dam to raise their family.

Rosemary did in-home daycare when her children were younger. She was a Certified Nursing Assistant for 10 years at the Beaver Dam Care Center, Lakeview Nursing Home, and later Hillside Manor. Later she worked miscellaneous factory jobs until her well-deserved retirement in 2002. She enjoyed her early retirement days caring for her grandchildren.

Rosemary was an excellent Mother, her family was everything to her! She looked after her family for many years, taking care of everything. She worked hard to make sure her children had what they needed and more. She was a very strong woman who overcame obstacles that most people cannot. She used her troubled childhood as motivation to be sure her children never had to endure any of the hardships that she had. She powered through chronic pain and medical issues over the last decade and despite all lived a good life.

Rosemary’s true passion in her life, besides her family, was a love for animals. She homed a variety of family pets throughout the years, including: dogs, cats, a ferret, hamsters, and a rabbit. Her eyes would light up with excitement when she would be able to see or interact with animals. She often said that if she could go back and do things over, she would go to school to become a Veterinarian and help animals. She loved all animals and would talk about the ones she had often.

The family always enjoyed a week-long vacation in the Summertime. These created lifelong memories that we will forever be cherished. She also enjoyed trips to gamble with Gary, playing cards, putting puzzles together and watching her favorite TV shows to pass the time. During hunting season Rosemary and Jenny would Close all Curtains make a big bowl of popcorn and watch scary movies all day. Stephen King movies were a favorite. She also loved Elvis Presley and would watch all of his movies and listen to his music. Some of her other favorites were: Heartland, The Walking Dead, and Yellowstone. She was an avid lover of cartoons including Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, King of the Hill, and sometimes The Simpsons. And of course, she also enjoyed animal focused shows similar to Northwoods Law and Lonestar Law.

Rosemary is survived by her children Jenny (Blake) Janiszewski of Horicon, WI, and Dan (Chrissy) Oelke of Beaver Dam, WI; her grandchildren Daniel (Summer) Janiszewski of Horicon, WI, and Tyler Oelke of Beaver Dam, WI, as well as other family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents John Rady and Audrey Kruse, and her husband Gary on April 8, 2024.

The family would like to thank Donna Hawley, the great Nurses and caretakers at Prairie Ridge Assisted Living in Waupun, WI, and Moments Hospice for taking great care of Rosemary! We would also like to thank Teri Barchard for looking after her and being a great friend, and our family friends Dale and Cheri Stone for taking our parents on gambling trips, and looking after Rosemary when she needed it!

The family will hold a private celebration in honor of her life at a later date.