Rose M. Douvier, 83 of Melrose died Sunday, November 23, 2003 at Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose after a courageous battle of cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 26 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. Rev. Vincent Lieser will officiate with interment following in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call Tuesday from 3:30 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. American Legion Post 101 Auxiliary, Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary, and the Christian Mothers will pray at 7 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 8 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Rose Douvier was born on March 25, 1920 in Spring Hill, Minnesota to Peter and Susan (Weymann) Krantz. She was united in marriage to Edmund J. Douvier on May 8, 1946 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. She was employed at Lantz Optical for several years and retired from Vision Ease in 1984. Rose enjoyed traveling, playing cards, gambling, and visiting with family and friends. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, American Legion Post 101 Auxiliary, Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary and the Christian Mothers.

.Survivors include her children, Janice Merdan and her husband, Mike of Avon, JoAnn Lemke and her husband, Fred of Richmond, Carol Bruggenthies and her husband, Richard of Foley, and Ken Douvier and his wife, Darlene of Melrose; 15 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren; sister, Magdalen VanHavermaet and her husband, Joe of Sauk Centre.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Susan Krantz; husband, Edmund on August 26, 1983; an infant son; brothers and sisters, Frank, Peter Jr., John, Henry, Ben, and Matt Krantz, Veronica Viere, Martha Douvier, and Ann Och.

Serving as casket bearers will be Dan Andersen, Natalie Merdan, Corey Lemke, Dean Lemke, Tanya Young, Melissa Bruggenthies, Sara Douvier, and Megan Douvier. Serving as cross bearer will be Wendy Kraemer and scripture bearer will be Amy Bruggenthies. Honorary bearers will be the members of the American Legion Post 101 Auxiliary, Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary, and the Christian Mothers.