Austin American-Statesman (TX) - Thursday, February 8, 2007

Oct. 27, 1919 - Feb. 4, 2007

Rosalee had a very full life in her 87 plus years. She was born October 27, 1919 in the Cherry Mountain Community just a few miles outside Fredericksburg, Texas. Her parents were Alvin and Emilie (Millie) Thiele Alberthal. She was a big help to her father on the family farm and was known as her daddy's "boy". She plowed the fields with a horse and single moldboard plow, picked cotton by hand, hand milked cows, helped butcher chickens, calves and pigs, rode a donkey to school, and has probably chopped more firewood with an axe in her life than most men have with a chainsaw. Rosalee also loved to sing, dance and play guitar, piano and organ.

Rosalee worked at the Nimitz Hotel (now the Admiral Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg before moving to Austin in 1938. She worked as a ticket agent for Greyhound Bus Lines, where she met her future husband, Army Air Corps B-17 pilot Kenneth Hall Neans. They were married May 11, 1946 at Saint Martin's Lutheran Church in Austin.

They lived for a few years at the corner of Neans Drive and North Lamar Blvd, and then lived on their farm between Austin and Round Rock. Again, Rosalee milked Jerseys, made homemade butter and her well-known homemade bread, enjoyed cooking, especially for large groups, tended to and canned vegetables from her huge garden, sewed clothes for the family, raised three sons, worked full time and yes, cut firewood with an axe until one of her best Christmases when she got a chainsaw and a new wheelbarrow with a rubber tire (instead of a steel wheel).

Rosalee worked for many years at the Texas Dept. of Public Safety in Austin and later IBM where she was well known for being able to add and multiply numbers in her head faster than someone with a calculator or cash register, even though she only had an 8th grade education. She took classes while working at IBM and got her G.E.D. in her 50's.

They don't make 'em like her anymore.

She and husband, Kenneth worked together at E & M Printing and Office Supplies and later they had their own "Convenience Office Supplies" in Austin, Round Rock and Pflugerville.

Rosalee was active in P.T.A. (now P.T.O.), served as Chairperson for the Austin March of Dimes and as President of VFW Post 8787 Auxiliary.

Rosalee was a devout christian and was baptised and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Fredericksburg, was a long-time active member of Faith Lutheran Church in Austin, and later joined Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville. After moving back to Fredericksburg she attended services at Bethany Lutheran Church as long as her health allowed.

Rosalee lived her last years at Knopp Assisted Living Center in Fredericksburg, where you could always find her enjoying the activities; playing 42, Bingo and singing in their choir. The family is thankful for the excellent care she received while there. The family would also like to thank her doctors and the staff at Hill Country Memorial Hospital in Fredericksburg for the kind, compassionate care she received.

Rosalee was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Hall Neans; brother-in-law Rudie Kneese and sister and brother-in-law Ruby and Gus Friedrich.

She is loved and survived by sister Irene Alberthal Kneese of Lovington, New Mexico; son Terry D. Neans and wife, Nancy Kiphen Neans, grandson James Brandon (J.B.) Neans, and granddaughter Sarah Neans, all of Fredericksburg; son Daryl Neans of Pflugerville and girlfriend, Tracy Hibbs of Hutto; son Ken L. Neans and wife, Maureen Lysek Neans, granddaughter Katherine (Katie) Neans and grandson John Henry (Hank) Neans, all of Weir; and many nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand nieces.

Memorial contributions, if desired, can be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Pflugerville; Bethany Lutheran Church, Fredericksburg; Faith Lutheran Church, Austin; or the Hill Country Memorial Hospital, Fredericksburg-a non-profit hospital.

Funeral services for Rosalee Neans will be held Thursday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m., in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Pflugerville. Interment will follow at 1:30 p.m. in Walnut Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Austin.