Red Lake Falls - Rose Gagner, 94, died Tuesday, January 11, 2000 at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Red Lake Falls.
Mass of Christian burial was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 15, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brooks with Father Tim Bushy officiating. Barb Melby was the organist, and special music was provided by Rose's grandchildren. Angie Stone and Mary Lou Cyr were the readers, and gift bearers were Poncho and Char Gagner. Mass servers were Derek Gagner, Trent Gagner and Mathew Hackenmuller.
Casketbearers were Ken Wichterman, Greg Wichterman, Robert Cyr, David Cyr, Scott Gagner, Mark Gagner, Tim Gagner and Danny Gagner. Honorary casketbearers were the ladies of St. Ann's Society. Burial was in St. Joseph's Church Cemetery in Red Lake Falls with the Petterson Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.
Rose Anna Mercil was born on January 27, 1905 in Garnes township of Red Lake county, the daughter of Joseph and Adilide (LaFave) Mercil. At a young age, Rose moved with her family to a farm west of Brooks where she was raised and attended Poplar River rural school. For two years, Rose attended St. Joseph's Academy in Crookston where she became a seamstress.
On November 24, 1924 she was united in marriage to Robert Gagner at Lambert. The couple purchased a farm north of Brooks where they resided for 54 years. In 1980, they moved into Brooks where Rose continued to reside until entering the Hillcrest Nursing Home in Red Lake Falls on February 1, 1991. Robert died on October 14, 1996.
She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Brooks where she was active in St. Ann's Society. She worked for Inter County Nursing as a home health worker for a time and was at her best when caring for the sick. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and cooking.
Rose is survived by four daughters, Mae (Louis) Wichterman of Kimball, Angela (William) Stone of Champlin, Mary Lou Cyr of Grafton, ND and Barb (Vern) LaCoursiere of Tucson, AZ; five sons, Rolland (Nancy) Gagner of Erskine, Robert (Kathy) Gagner Jr. of Rathdrum, ID, Clarence (Dianne) Gagner of Brooks, Michael (Ronalee) Gagner of Otis Orchard, WA and Richie "Poncho" (Char) Gagner of Brooks; 37 grandchildren; 55 great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Fournier of Crookston; and two brothers, Wilfred (Gladys) Mercil of Colorado Springs, CO and Ralph Mercil of St. Paul.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; three sons, Medore Gagner, Jerome Gagner and Freddie Gagner; one great-granddaughter, Ashley Stone Hennek; her parents; three brothers, Leon Mercil, Medore Mercil and Louis Mercil; one sister, Leah Jewett; and one son-in-law, Vernon Cyr.
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