Leslie Rogalla

Leslie Ann Rogalla, 49, of Thief River Falls, MN passed away on Tuesday, August 6th, 2024 surrounded by her loving family at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN.

A memorial service will be held in honor of Leslie at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 16th, 2024 at the Evangelical Free Church in Thief River Falls, MN with Pastor Kent Hudson officiating. Burial will be held at a later date at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls, MN.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 15, 2024 starting at 6:00 PM at the Evangelical Free Church with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.

Leslie was born December 16th, 1974 in Bemidji, MN to Rockford and Barbara Ammerman. She attended Knox Elementary School up until 4th grade, where she then attended Washington Elementary until 5th grade. In 6th grade, she attended Franklin Middle School where she would spend the next three years. As a child, Leslie enjoyed being a part of the high school swim team and basketball team, playing trumpet in the school band, spending time and creating lifetime friendships with her classmates (the divas), and was beloved by her classmates as she represented them as the Lincoln High School Homecoming Queen of 1992.

Leslie graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, MN in 1993. Afterwards, she attended Northland Community and Technical College for a year to earn her associates degree. She then continued her education at Bemidji State University where she earned her bachelors in Elementary Education in December of 1996. In August of 2006, she earned her Masters of Education from the University of North Dakota.

Leslie was a passionate teacher, who cared deeply about her students and their growth. She started her teaching career in the Spring of 1997 by teaching a semester at Franklin Middle School in Thief River Falls, MN. She then worked at Wonder Years Daycare in Grand Forks, ND for a year. She then became a paraprofessional in Lancaster, MN where she worked for one year. In the fall of 1999, she started her job in Plummer, MN as a special education teacher, where she taught for three years. In 2002, she landed her current job as a special education teacher at Challenger Elementary School in Thief River Falls, MN.

In 1989, she met the love of her life, Carter Rogalla, though she didn’t know it yet. They started dating shortly after graduating high school in 1993. They would date all throughout college, and get married in 1997. They lived in Grand Forks, ND, and Hallock, MN before settling down in Thief River Falls, MN in 1999 with the purchase of their first home. They started to fill that home in August of 2001 with the birth of their first daughter, Alexa Dee. 2003 brought the birth of their second daughter, Haylie Ann, in July along with purchasing their forever home in October. They then had one last daughter, Carlie DeeAnn, to complete their family in March of 2006.

Leslie’s love language was Acts of Service, she enjoyed doing puzzles and crafts, being a grandma, spending time with the family dogs, watching movies, playing BINGO, spending time at the lake, listening to music (specifically Glee and Disney), playing all sorts of games, going on walks, serving others in the community, kayaking, traveling with loved ones (especially her daughter’s senior trips), and turning her family’s house into a home. Most of all, Leslie enjoyed spending time with her family. She was the most loving mother and wife and would do anything for them. She and her husband supported each other in all of their endeavors, whether it was coaching, teaching, or pursuing their goal of visiting all 50 states. She was her daughters’ biggest cheerleader and supporter in anything they set their minds to. She often said “the best day was when she got to see all three of her kids on the same day.”

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Doris and Rod Norquist and Forrest and LaVonne Ammerman, her sister, Dionne Ammerman, and her father-in-law, James Rogalla. Her memory lives on in her husband, Carter Rogalla, her daughters, Alexa (Eric) Buckley, Haylie Rogalla, and Carlie Rogalla, her parents, Barbara and Rockford Ammerman, her grandson, Noah, her mother-in-law, Debra Rogalla, her brother-in-law, Ryan Rogalla, her sisters-in-law, Kylie Rogalla and Shawna Rogalla, her niece, Kaia Rogalla, her nephew, Gauge Rogalla, and her many other relatives and friends.

Live links:

Prayer service on Thursday, August 15: https://youtube.com/live/bDtNvsRnRqM

Funeral service on Friday, August 16: https://youtube.com/live/5gTf6ysDxIk