Roswitha (Rose) Maria (Brendli) Lonis, 72, of Geneva, Illinois passed away peacefully on Friday evening December 30, 2022, with family by her side. She was born October 3, 1950, in Wels, Austria to Joseph and Viktoria (Kraus) Brendli. She spent the first 14 months of her life living in the little village of Scharten, Austria with her parents and both sets of grandparents all of whom had fled their eastern European homes at the end of World War II. In early 1951, her father came to America to work and secure a place for them to live. Rose and her mother traveled by train through Austria and Germany reaching the port of Bremerhaven where they boarded the USS Stuart Heintzelman in early December 1951 arriving in Aurora, Illinois on Christmas Eve. She grew up with a large extended family on her father's side and with her mother's younger sister, Julie, helping to shape her views on life of the importance of family.
Rose attended Sacred Heart Catholic grade school and was a 1968 graduate of Madonna High School. In her senior year, she attended a teenage dance at the "Dungeon" a teenage dance club where on his 19th birthday her future husband Larry danced with her and got her phone number. Love at first sight for him, and a growing relationship led to their engagement Thanksgiving 1968. Rose worked while Larry went to college. They were married August 22, 1970, at Sacred Heart Church in Aurora and started their married life living in North Aurora. Once Larry completed his undergraduate degree they started to plan their life together including children. David Joseph was born in 1973, Melissa Anne was born in 1976, and Kristina Marie was born in 1977. Rose was in her element as she was a very loving and nurturing mother to her children. She was involved in their school activities, including serving as Den Mother for David's Cub Scout Den. As Larry had jobs that required travel, and as he went on to graduate school, Rose made sure that their home was a place of love and sanctuary for both he and the children.
Rose was a wonderful and supporting partner through all of life's challenges never wavering from doing the right thing no matter what the cost. One of her most impactful jobs was working for Wayne Laatz Realty as his secretary. This was a blessing as she was able to still be the homemaker while helping provide while the children were at school. She always wanted a better life for her children, and she did what was needed to help provide for her family.
When her grandson, Tyler was born she made the decision to retire and become his babysitter while his mother continued her college education. He was a great joy to her and kept her on her toes with his degree of curiosity. It was a gift to be able to enjoy a grandchild while being young enough to have the energy to be active with him.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Viktoria (Kraus) Brendli and her husband of 51 years Larry A. Lonis.
She leaves behind to mourn her passing, her three children David Lonis, Melissa (Jaret) Adrian, and Kristina Laurie and her grandson Tyler Adrian.
Funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 12:00PM at THE DALEIDEN MORTUARY, 220 N. Lake Street, Aurora, 630-631-5500. Burial will follow at Lincoln Memorial Park in Aurora.
Visitation will be Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 10:00AM until 12:00PM at the funeral home prior to the service. The service will be available to stream on the internet at: https://vimeo.com/event/2754667 .
Please visit our website at www.daleidenmortuary.com where you may leave condolences for Rose's family.