Erna Rothe

Erna Rothe was born on August 22nd, 1929 in Barmstedt Germany and passed away after a prolonged illness on January 4th, 2025 at the age of 95. She is preceded in death by her husband, Fred Rothe.

Erna grew up during World War 2 and lost both her parents by the early age of 12. Thankfully, her older sister was able to take care of her instead of going into foster care. Although they were tough times, Erna was blessed with an uplifting attitude and had a happy childhood.

In 1951 she immigrated to Chicago, IL. She took classes in English and worked at Marshall Fields. She met her future husband, Fred also a German immigrant at a German dance in Chicago and they married in 1955. The couple had two daughters. Pursuing the American Dream drew them into the motel business from Wisconsin, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and lastly Santa Rosa, NM. Ending up in Albuquerque, Erna worked for Mervyn's for many years.

Upon retirement, Erna took up volunteering and was an avid volunteer at Popejoy Hall achieving Emeritus status. She also volunteered at Presbyterian Hospital and Bear Canyon Senior Center. Erna was a strong, kind and generous woman adored by many.

Erna is survived by her daughters Monika Rothe and Elke Shepherd (husband Todd Shepherd), Grandson Eric Morgan and his wife KD Morgan.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider making a donation to Road Runner Hospice, or Bernalillo County Senior Affairs. At Erna's request, a private family gathering will be held at a later date.