Rosmond Doratta ‘Rose’ Williams, died on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014 after a lengthy illness.

She was born on July 16, 1919 in Arthur, Iowa. She was the daughter of Joseph William Harto, a farmer from Indiana, and Catherine ‘Tena’ Harto. During the early years of World War II, Rose moved to El Cajon, California where her twin brother worked in the defense industry. After a year in California, she returned to her home town of Ida Grove, Iowa where she met Allen Orin Williams in the café where she worked as a waitress. On Jan. 5, 1946 they eloped to Missouri.

In 1953, the couple moved to San Fernando, California with their two young daughters, Patti and Joyce.

Rose worked as a waitress, laundress, and store clerk as well as caring for many small children. In 1986, the couple retired in Oakdale. Once settled in Oakdale she was first a member of Saron Lutheran Church in Escalon and later joined Community United Methodist Church in Oakdale. Rose also taught the toddler Sunday School class for a number of years. She was fondly known as Grandma Rose.

She loved to sew and bake cakes shaped like cartoon characters for her grandchildren. She was also well known for the many cookies she baked for the church, as well as her potluck meatloaf.

Survivors include her daughters, Patti Duncan of Oakdale and Joyce Spisak of Fredericksburg, TX; two grandchildren, Shannon Stanley and Sean Duncan, both of Oakdale; two great-granddaughters, Miranda Kline and Cora Duncan, of Oakdale; and a sister, Mildred ‘Millie’ Schuett of Ida Grove, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, brothers Leonard, Raymond, Donald, Harold, and Roland Harto and Harry, Arnold and Fred Iversen; sisters Hildred Stockton, Doris Gabriel, and Helena Coatney.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. at Oakdale Memorial Chapel. Private interment to be held at Oakdale Citizens Cemetery.