Rose Anna Drobitsch Day was born Dec. 26, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., to Frank J. and Rose Ann (Gerkitz) Drobitsch. She was raised in Chicago, baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith, and graduated from Calumet High School in 1945. After her education she worked as an operator for Bell Telephone Company. On July 5, 1947, she married Eugene E. Day at an Episcopal church in Chicago. After marriage they traveled the country in a camper for Gene’s job. In 1947, they bought a house in Homewood, Ill., and in 1954, they moved to Hopkins, Minn. They lived in Hopkins until 1974, when they bought property for a home in Eureka Township from the Ostlie family. Gene passed away in 1978, and Rose remained on the land, currently living in her home on the farm of Karen and Tom Ostlie.

Day was a member of Christiania Lutheran Church and always volunteered where she could. She was also a member of the Chub Lake Charmers Homemakers Club. Day was an avid fisherman, traveling to Canada every year for two weeks to fish with her friend, Mary Lindberg. Family was at the heart of everything she did - cooking, listening, or doing whatever she could to make things easier. She had a heart of gold and will be truly missed.


Day had walking horses for the past 30 years with Jackie McConnell. Her love for the walking horses was seen through all her great horses she has owned throughout the years. A few she has owned include Senator’s Chance, Citation’s Legend, Pride’s Hard Rock, Gold Record, ET’s Silhouette, Papa’s Bar None, Black Jack Cash, Mr. Continental and A White Rose. Her daughter, Karen, earned an Amateur Three-Year-Old Mares Reserve World Championship aboard Mark’s Lady Supreme. She was a member of TWHBA and the Mid-South Horse Show Association. She was always a true supporter of the Tennessee Walking Horse and loved all the friends from “the south” as she would say.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Ronald and Merlene of Pipe Creek, Texas; her daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Tom Ostlie of rural Lakeville; three grandchildren and their spouses: Shane and Jasmine Day and children Brandon, Dylan, Logan and Savannah of Australia; Jim and Laura Ostlie and children Lilly and Riley of Paynesville, Joe and Melinda Ostlie of Lonsdale; one brother and his wife, Frank and Theresa Drobitsch of Palmdale, Calif.; one sister and her husband, Jean and Jim Boardman of Oak Forest, Ill.; her brother-in-law, Arthur (Betty) Day of Blaine; nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband and her sister, Marie Gleich.


Day passed away peacefully at her home in Eureka Township, Dakota County on Saturday morning, July 24, 2010, at the age of 82.