Rosalee Sternhagen 80, of Avon

Rosalee died Monday, January 14, 2019 at the Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton. Funeral services are 10:30 A.M., Friday, January 18, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church in Avon. Burial is in the Trinity Presbyterian Cemetery, rural Avon. Visitation is at the church on Thursday from 6 to 7 PM, followed by a Prayer Service at 7 PM.

Rosalee Joan (Hornstra) Sternhagen was born on September 11, 1938 in Avon to Neil and Lillian (Hebner) Hornstra. She died Monday, January 14, 2019 at the Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton.
Rosalee graduated from Avon High School in 1956. She attended USDS and started teaching with a two year degree at Myrtle School at the age of 19. She attained a four year degree attending summer schools while teaching during the year. Rosalee's teaching career began in rural schools for 12 years and then continued for 30 years in the Avon School system. She was nominated for SD State History Teacher of the Year in 1999. She retired in 2000 but continued substitute teaching until 2006.
Rosalee was married to Don Sternhagen and together they had three children: Steven, Sue Jayne and Danny.
Rosalee was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. She served as church pianist, Sunday school teacher, youth leader, choir member and an officer in the Presbyterian Women group.
Rosalee was a charter member of the Tau Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma from 1988 to 2015. She served as an officer at the local and state level. She had poetry published in the National Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin and won various awards at the state conventions.
Rosalee had a love of history and wrote several chapters of the Avon History Book and provided papers at the SD History Conferences. She was instrumental in the organization and operation of the Avon Historical Museum. She wrote the "Remembering" column for the Avon Clarion.
Rosalee belonged to the Monday Reading Club, Just-a-Club and the Red Hat Ladies. She was an avid quilter, scrap booker and stamp collector. Her grandchildren and two great-granddaughters were the joy of her life.
Her memory will be cherished by her son, Steven and his wife, Mary of Yankton; her grandsons: Nicholas and wife Megan Perry of Ethan and their daughters Emma and Elsie, Tyler, and Ryan Sternhagen of Yankton; and her many friends and former students.
Rosalee was preceded in death by her daughter Sue Jayne Sternhagen in 1990, son Danny in 2009, her mother in 1984, her father in 1995, and her grandparents: Henry and Rose Hebner, and Peter and Hattie Hornstra.