Alta L. Rosenbaum

Alta Lucile Rosenbaum passed away on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at Charter Senior Living in Sioux City, Iowa. She was born to Merlin and Ida (Armstrong) Sawtell on August 17, 1930 in rural Dixon County Nebraska. Her siblings included her older brother, Dale and a younger brother, Leland. Her elder sister, Lily, died of crib death in 1928.
Alta attended elementary school in Allen, NE and she graduated from high school in Newcastle, NE in 1948. Due to the rural area where they resided, the 5-mile stretch of roads between their family farm and Newcastle was not very dependable. As such, Alta lived in a boarding house with three elderly widows while attending high school, coming home on weekends to visit her family, if weather permitting.
After graduation, Alta briefly attended NBT in Sioux City. She and a friend decided to move to California to experience life. They lived in Long Beach, CA. There she worked for a Middle Eastern oil tycoon. Her stay in California was relatively brief but memorable. She returned to Nebraska having had enough of California's vast population. She ultimately decided to live and work in Sioux City. While working in Sioux City, she resided at Shesler Hall for women. It was there that she met her future sister-in-law, Fern Chicoine (Rosenbaum) and was introduced to her future husband. She was employed as a secretary in the orthopedic office of Dr. Graham.
Alta married Roland Rosenbaum in 1957 and moved to rural Union County just outside of Elk Point and resided there for the rest of her life.
Together, they farmed and raised three children and retired. She was a member of Elk Point United Parish and served on various committees and participated in Circle. She was also involved in the Cleverette Extension Club for many years. In retirement, she worked part-time for the Leader Courier and also for the Elk Point City Library. Alta made many friends over the course of her life, most which preceded her in death.
Alta is survived by her son, Eric (Rhonda) Rosenbaum of Elkhorn, NE, her daughters, Kimberly (Robert) Baker of Elk Point and Kirsten (Bruce) Peterman of Broomfield, CO, her brother, Dale Sawtell of Seattle, WA; grandchildren, Emily Gunderson, Andrew Rosenbaum, Allison Lidholm, Brent Baker, Micah Baker, Alexander Peterman, Kaylyn Peterman, and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roland, her parents, infant sister, Lily Sawtell, her brother, Leland and his wife, Aileta Sawtell, and sister-in-law, Betty Sawtell.
A Memorial Gathering will be from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at Elk Point United Parish in with Pastor Rick Andrus. Private family burial will be at Elk Point Cemetery.
Memorials for Alta may be made to the Nebraska Children's Home in Omaha, NE or to Elk Point United Parish.