Noreen Rae "Butch" Rogness

It's time for Lee Township to bid farewell to the greatest mom the East Side has ever seen.

Noreen "Butch" Rogness passed away on Saturday evening, March 7, 2026, from complications from dementia. She was 82.

An icon of the East Side, Butch was known to generations of children, first raising (along with husband Paul) three sons and a daughter through Garton Elementary, Goodrell Middle, and East High Schools in Des Moines, Iowa. She then helped raise countless special needs students at Garton as a Special Education Associate for 34 years. Dozens of children had their lives shaped by the love and care of "Ms. Butch".

After retirement, Butch and Paul moved to Pleasant Hill, Iowa, but remained active in the community and especially with East High School, where they founded and ran the annual East High Golf Classic. Their charity completed its 31st season in 2025 and is still going strong, having raised nearly a million dollars for East High School.

Among the many things Butch brought to the East Side was her legendary baking skill. Besides baking for parties and especially holidays, she would often leave her latest treats just off the 9th green at Copper Creek so friends and family wouldn't have to make the turn without a piece of chocolate sheet cake.

In 2015, Butch was given the Outstanding Contributor Award by the East High Golf Classic for her service (and her baked goods).

Noreen Rae Rogness was born in Seattle, Washington on February 13, 1944, but almost immediately moved with her family to Lake Park, Minnesota. The youngest daughter of Richard and Mary Nimmick, she grew up a small-town girl in a farm community. Despite being a cheerleader and Prom Queen, her sister Shari decided that "Noreen" was too girlie and dignified and a nickname was a must. She suggested "Butch," the name stuck, and that's who she became for decades of friends and family.

Just like the fairy tale says, high school is where she met her sweetheart, first love, and eventual husband - who also happened to be quarterback of the football team and president of the student body. They were married on September 12, 1964, and celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary last year. A salesman, Paul relocated to Des Moines for work in 1970, where they bought a house on the East Side and raised a family there for 23 years.

Butch is survived by her husband, Paul, of Pleasant Hill; sons Christopher (Juanne) in Salt Lake City, Utah, Matthew (Carlie) in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Barrett (Michelle) in Pleasant Hill; daughter Stephanie (Kelly) in Ankeny, Iowa; grandchildren Nicholas, Finley, Rebecca, Samantha, Hadley and Rilynn; and sister, Shari, in Great Falls, Montana.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Windsor Heights Lutheran Church. Visitation will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 PM on Friday, March 13, at Iles Grandview Park Chapel in Des Moines. Memorial contributions may be directed to Windsor Heights Lutheran Church at whlc.org. Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com. Arrangements by Iles Grandview Park Chapel.