Rose Mary Lubenow: 1933 – 2024

Rose Mary “Rosie” (Wald) Lubenow passed away September 10, 2024 in Casper, Wyoming. She was born May 17, 1933 to Sebastian and Lutzia Wald on their farm in LaMoure County, North Dakota. 

Rosie attended grade school at Wano #2 in Medberry, North Dakota, sometimes getting to school on a horse-drawn sled. She graduated from Edgeley High School in 1951. Growing up, Rosie worked on the family farm where she started driving a grain truck to the elevator at age 11. She would milk cows, feed chickens and hogs, and gather and prepare eggs for sale at the local grocery store. She collected corn cobs and wood to be used in their majestic stove for heating and cooking, and filled rain barrels in the basement with snow so the family would have soft water for laundering. She worked in the field driving a combine, putting up hay, and picking rocks. She enjoyed working in the shop with her father. 

Rosie moved to Fargo in 1953 where she worked at various jobs including the Manchester Cookie Company, making Fig Newtons, waitressing, as a long-distance operator at Northwestern Bell, and as a secretary. She learned to cook during this time, often consulting with her mother about recipes via phone. Rosie loved to garden and was well known for her work ethic and her cooking and baking skills. Everyone especially loved her caramel rolls.

In 1958, while working as a copy girl for the Fargo Forum, Rosie met and married Wayne W. Lubenow (1926-1991). Rosie took a leave of absence from work in 1960 to raise her family and operate a home daycare service. She returned to the workforce in 1972 at the Midweek Eagle newspaper in West Fargo, ND, and became their Circulation Manager in 1978 until her retirement in 1998. Rosie hired many newspaper carriers in the Fargo area. 

After Wayne’s death, Rosie met Robert Gisvold and enjoyed his company until his death in 2017. She moved to Casper, Wyoming in 2020 to be closer to her children. While in Casper, she especially enjoyed listening to the musical group The Meadowlarks.

Rosie was a sweet lady who loved her family very much. 

Survivors include children: Michael Lubenow, Minnesota; Heidi (Carl “Bunky”) Loucks, Wyoming; and Christopher (Corrie) Lubenow, Wyoming; bonus children: Jeffrey (Shawnee) Johnson, California; Nancy (Jep) Peckler, California; and Amie (Charles Weeden) Becker, Virginia; 16 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren. 

Rosie was preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings: brothers, Leo Wald, Allen Wald, and Patrick Wald; sisters, Viola Gilbertson, Catherine Anderson, and Phyllis Jerstad; husband, Wayne Lubenow; friend, Robert Gisvold; and grandchildren: Marcus Loucks and Dominique Becker. 

No services will be held at this time. Rosie will be laid to rest at the Fargo National Cemetery in the springtime. 

Memorials can be made to:

Casper Family YMCA

1611 Casper Mountain Road

Casper, WY 82601

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