Obituary of Palma Anna Rossman

ROSSMAN PALMA

            Palma Anna Rossman, age 100 of Yankton, SD passed away Saturday, February 5, 2022 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital due to COVID-19 complications.  The Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Onsite Crematory, Yankton, SD is assisting with the service details.  Services for Palma will take place later.  Online condolences may be shared with the family at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com. 

Palma Anna Rossman, age 100, of Yankton, SD passed away on Saturday, February 5, 2022, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD.

Palma was born on March 30, 1921, in Yankton, SD to Jacob and Anna Grajkowski. She was preceded in death by her husband Ray Rossman and her sister Dorothy (Martin) Kalwat. She is survived by her beloved daughter Betty Marie (Kenneth) Buckstead, her grandchildren: Mosheh (Sarah) Buckstead, Tove (Isaac) Vazquez, Shallun (Leonora) Buckstead, and Jalon (Carolina) Buckstead;  her great-grandchildren: Joaquin Buckstead, Daleth, Kalei, Taliyah, and Noah Vazquez, Thiago, Gaston, and Milena Buckstead, Jehylan and Asher Buckstead; her siblings: Melvin (Marion) Grajkowski and Jayne (Willard) Schelske; her nieces and nephews: Chana (Bill) Lambertz, Tasha Kalwat, Tyla (Dallas) Remington, Cacela Kalwat, Larry Grajkowski, Jeff and Cory Schelske; and many great-nieces/nephews.

Palma grew up on a farm in Lesterville, SD. As a young farm girl in the 1930’s, she was no stranger to hard work. She later moved to Sioux Falls, SD. Over the years she worked at a steam bath parlor, had her own restaurant where she showcased her excellent home cooking, ran a dry cleaner, handled sewing and mending, becoming a skilled invisible weaver, and worked as a meat butcher in Sunshine grocery store. Later she moved back to Yankton, SD, and married Ray Rossman.

Palma loved cooking and baking and was well known for her delicious food, especially her homemade pies. No one could make better apple or lemon merengue pie from scratch than she could! The crust was her signature touch. She was a superb hostess, always generous and hospitable, making sure everyone who visited her was well fed beyond the point of being full and had leftovers to go home with. She loved to play cards, especially Pinocle, and was very skilled at it. She was known for bidding you up no matter what cards were dealt to her, and she always seemed to make her bid no matter how high it was.

“Let’s go fishin’” was a saying that was always on Palma’s mind. She loved to throw in a line and catch a big catfish or carp and then she cleaned and cooked them up right away to enjoy. She loved gardening and often had a big vegetable and flower garden. She cared for her precious flowers, including sunflowers and hollyhocks. She liked going out to eat good food and often went to Toby’s in Meckling, SD for chicken dinner, or the steakhouse to get prime rib.  Palma had a fiery spirit; she wasn’t afraid to tell you what she thought. Yet she had a heart of gold; she loved her family and friends dearly.