Roger Harold Osmonson, 69, St. Ansgar, Iowa

Roger Harold Osmonson, 69, of St. Ansgar, Iowa, passed away early in the morning on Oct. 31, 2012, at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn. He had received new life through the gift of a heart transplant there on July 12, 1996.

Roger was born on Oct. 15, 1943, in Austin, Minn., to Denver and Irma (Pope) Osmonson. He started school in Minnereka Country School, continued his education in Otranto, and was in the last graduating class at Carpenter High School in 1962. Roger completed auto/machinery mechanics training through Austin Area Vocational School in Austin.

From a young age, Roger was a hard worker. He helped farmers with fieldwork through his school years, worked at Boyd Implement in Northwood, Iowa, and then was employed as a partsman at Thill Implement in Rose Creek, Minn. Before retiring in 2005, Roger worked as a custodian at St. Ansgar High School for 22 years.

Roger and Sara Louise Pike were married on Sept. 9, 1967, at the Otranto Community Church, they then resided on the family farm east of Otranto. The couple was blessed with two daughters, Jill Elaine and Jana Leigh, who helped their parents celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary this year.

Roger is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sara; daughter, Jill (David) Hill and their children Autumn (13) and Hunter (11) of Mason City, Iowa; daughter, Jana (James) Huebsch and their daughters, Hilary (20), Hannah (15) and Halle (12) of Mitchell, Iowa; sister Ann (Horace) Hendrickson of Northwood; brother-in-law Roland (Kathy) Pike of Rochester; and two nieces, Emily Pike of St. Paul, Minn., and Elizabeth Pike of Minneapolis.

Roger was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gary; mother-in-law and father-in-law Guy and Arlene Pike; brother-in-law Roger Guy Pike; and grandparents Isaac and Lorenca Osmonson and Alfred and Cora Pope.

There will be a gathering of friends and family from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at the Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home in St. Ansgar, Iowa. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at St. Ansgar United Methodist Church with the Rev. Peter Chang officiating. Inurnment in Woodbury Cemetery will be held at a later date.