Rose Rush, 86, of Winner, SD passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.  Funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 10:00AM at the Christ Lutheran Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  A visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 from 6-7:00PM at the Christ Lutheran Church with a prayer service beginning at 7:00PM. The service will be live streamed. You may access it through this link. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063938806463

Rose was born on August 29, 1938, to Harry and Gertrude Ahlers at the family farm near Clearfield, SD. She grew up alongside her beloved siblings Johnny Ahlers, Harriet Ahlers, and Sharon (Ahlers) Hagerty. Life on the farm shaped her deeply, instilling in her a strong work ethic, enduring faith, and a profound love for family.

She met the love of her life, Denzil Rush, on a blind date—a meeting that grew into a devoted marriage. Together, they raised two children: their son Grant, followed by their daughter Valerie just 13 months later, completing their close-knit family.

Rose dedicated her life to education, touching countless young lives over her 42-year career as an elementary school teacher. Even long after her retirement in 2000, she often recognized the familiar faces of former students who remembered her with warmth and gratitude.

A passionate traveler, Rose was blessed to explore many parts of the world and the United States. Among her favorite adventures were trips to Disneyland with her grandchildren and her sister Harriet, as well as a spiritually significant journey to the Holy Land in Israel.

Above all, Rose's faith was the foundation of her life. She devoted herself to the Lord, serving faithfully at her church as a Sunday School teacher, an active member of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), and a generous contributor to the annual church bazaar, where she often shared her delicious baked goods and beautifully hand-sewn rag rugs.

Rose was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Denzil Rush; her parents, Harry and Gertrude Ahlers; her brother, Johnny Ahlers; and her father and mother-in-law, Howard and Vera Condon.

She is survived by her children: Grant (Julie) Rush and Valerie (Paul) Ahrendt; her grandchildren: Bryce (Katie) Ahrendt, Jordan (Codie) Ahrendt, Alexa (Keith) Lyden, David Rush, and Jesse Rush; five great-grandchildren; her sisters Harriet Ahlers and Sharon (Rick) Hagerty; and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Rose will be remembered for her deep faith, generous spirit, and the love she shared with everyone around her.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
— Psalm 23:6