Dr. Crystal Ann Rossow nee Koenig, age 58, of Coon Rapids, MN passed away at her home and joined the Host of Heaven on August 17th, 2021 surrounded by her loving husband and children.

Crystal was born April 28th, 1963, to Paul R. Koenig and Minnie G. (Forden) Koenig in Beatrice, NE. She grew up on a farm near Beatrice (Ellis area), NE. She was baptized into Christ at Zion Lutheran Church on May 5th, 1963, rural Harbine, NE. She attended Sunday School and parochial school at Zion Lutheran Church, rural Harbine, NE, and was confirmed on April 3rd, 1977. She attended high school in Beatrice and graduated in 1981. During this time she was continuously enrolled in the knowledge of music and liturgical worship, (having taken organ lessons starting at age 15), which she credited to her parents for bringing her up in the Church. She enrolled at Concordia College (now University) after high school. She was the organist at St. John Lutheran Church, Beatrice, NE while also attending Concordia University in Seward, NE. Crystal met the love of her life while attending Concordia College in Seward, NE, and graduated in 1986 with a B.M with high honors in Sacred Music and Piano Pedagogy studying with Dr. Charles W. Ore. She and Dana were married on September 20th, 1986, and began their married life in Hamlin, New York. There Crystal played at St. John Lutheran Church and School and other churches in the Rochester, NY area while waiting for Dana to complete his DCE/Administrative internship. They then moved to Sioux Falls, SD following Dana’s call to be a DCE, and again Crystal played at a large Lutheran church in Sioux Falls. Completing one year there Crystal and Dana left for Vermillion, SD to complete their Masters’s degree. Crystal earned her M.M. in Organ Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of South Dakota. She taught for the two years they stayed in Vermillion, SD. In the second year, there (1989 December) Crystal began battling Hodgkins Lymphoma that had spread throughout her body. She began chemotherapy treatment in Sioux City followed by radiation treatment in Lincoln, NE. Crystal moved to Lincoln, NE in 1990 taking a job at the Lutheran Chapel LCMS on the University campus as she began and complete her Doctorate in the organ. She graduated in May 2000 with her D.M.A. (Doctor of Musical Arts) in Organ Performance and Music History from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Over the next 10 years, she completed her doctorate and taught at Concordia University: organ students, music history, and theory classes. She spent eight years playing at Redeemer Lutheran Church LCMS in Lincoln, NE. In 2000 Crystal and Dana both accepted Church calls at Christ Lutheran church and school LCMS in Little Rock, AR. In 2002 Crystal and Dana moved to Elk River, MN where Crystal played at both Emmanuel Lutheran Church and Central Lutheran Church along with Crown Lutheran. Crystal was then called to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and School in 2005 and spent the rest of her days there as the Minister of Music, Kantor, organist until her death on Tuesday, August 17th, 2021. Her talent touched the lives of her fellow members and will forever be a blessing to all members. Crystal demonstrated her profound faith and love for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ by witnessing and rejoicing in music dedicated to His praise. Crystal also accompanied and helped to direct the North Star Boys Choir and the Command Performance Girls Choir which allowed her to play oragans all over Europe. She had just made it back from Europe before her heart surgery.

Crystal was greeted in Heaven by her grandparents, Leonard and Edna Koenig, John and Edith (Fossler) Forden; Uncle, Ervin Koenig; Uncle, Loren Renz; and her father-in-law, Maynard Rossow.

We are thankful for her time on earth, and she will be incredibly missed by her best friend and loving husband, Dana; and their children, Erika, Aaron, Johanna and husband Darius Uditsky. Her parents, Minnie and Paul Koenig of Beatrice, NE; brother, David Koenig of Beatrice, NE; sisters, Dawn Koenig (Brad Armentrout) of Maple Grove, MN, Karen Koenig of Jacksonville, FL; also greatly missed by mother-in-law, Clarice Rossow of Fort Dodge, IA; sisters-in-law, Julie (Terry) Madden, Amy (Keith) Collins, Christine (Rick) Thompson; brother-in-law, Cory (Kristin) Rossow; and 15 nieces and nephews.

Visitation is Friday, August 27, 2021 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with sharing at 7:00 PM at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Corcoran, MN with a Service of Life in Christ on Saturday, August 28, 2021 with visitation at 10:00 AM followed with service at 11:00 AM at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Corcoran/Maple Grove, MN.

Memorials to St John’s Lutheran Church music and North Star Boys Choir.

Serving the family is The Peterson Chapel St. Michael-Albertville Funeral Home. 763-497-5362. www.thepetersonchapel.com.