Laura Rose McCall died November 29, 2011 at The Denver Hospice in Denver, CO, at the age of 79.

Rose was born to Chris and Mary (Delameter) Brassfield on the family farm in rural Graham County, near Palco, KS on April 13, 1932. She was the ninth child in a family of thirteen children.


Rose was a child of the Great Depression, born in the epicenter of the 1930's dust storms, and grew up a survivor with the heart and grit of the true American spirit. She was less than one year old when she was severely burned and was in critical condition for several weeks. The burns eventually healed but she was left with disfiguring scars on her legs and arm.


Rose attended Brownville grade school and graduated from Palco High School in 1950. While in high school, she was a member of Kayettes and FHA. Following high school, she moved to Hood River, OR for six months and lived with her Aunt Rose helping her care for two small children. After her return to Kansas, she lived at home helping care for her ill mother and also working on neighboring farms.


In 1952, she met Delmar McCall, a Trego County farmer and a veteran of WWII. They were married on June 7, 1953. Rose and Delmar lived on the McCall family farm for two years and then moved to a house in WaKeeney that Delmar and his brother, Clarence, had built in 1959. Delmar purchased a large two-story farm house and moved the house to WaKeeney.

Delmar and Rose raised three daughters, Patricia Gail, Marlene Rose, and Laurie Raelene.


While her daughters were growing up and attending school, Rose worked as a nurses' aide for about fifteen years at the Trego Memorial Hospital. When Delmar began working as a rural mail carrier, Rose made sure he always had a sack lunch to go.


Following Delmar's death in 1981, and after she retired from the hospital, she enjoyed traveling with a special friend, Mary Ann Harger. They traveled on tour buses all over the United States including a cruise to Alaska and a tour of Europe.


On September 26, 1992, Rose married Leo Kleinsorge and they lived on Leo's farm near Selden, KS. Following Leo's death in 1999, Rose moved back to her home in WaKeeney and lived there until 2004 when failing health resulted in moving to Littleton, CO to live with her daughter, Laurie and family.


In addition to traveling, Rose enjoyed walking and going to dances at senior centers before her health failed. She enjoyed simple pastimes like picnics, a soft ice cream cone at McDonald's or Dairy Queen, doing word search puzzles, and most of all, visiting her daughter, and the grandchildren. She enjoyed gospel music and country western songs as well as gardening and traveling.

Rose became a committed Christian as a teenager attending the Red Line Church of God. Later, she became a member of the WaKeeney Church of God. She had a humble, unwavering faith, she endured many hardships and trials during her lifetime. Her deeply held religious values were evident in the way she lived her life. She is remembered for her generosity, kindness, quick wit, and warm smile.

Rose was preceded in death by her two husbands, her parents, four brothers, Roy, Clay, Elmer, and Winfield; and three sisters, Nancy, Jane, and Faye (Dora).

Rose is survived and will be sadly missed by her daughters and their husbands, Patricia Renner (Dewey), Marlene Wilson (Ron), Laurie Gross (Frank); and six grandchildren, James Renner (Susan), Art Renner, Thomas and Amanda Wilson, Megan and Luke Gross; three brothers, Chris Jr., Paul, and Irl Brassfield; two sisters, Christina Burkenbine, Velma Smith (Jim); and many nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Visitation is 5-7 PM Sunday at Schmitt Funeral Home. Funeral Services for Rose will be 10:00 AM, Monday, December 5, 2011 at Schmitt Funeral Home in WaKeeney. Interment is in the WaKeeney City Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to The Denver Hospice and can be sent to 501 S Cherry St, Suite 700, Denver, CO 80246.