Velma Rose, loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away peacefully Mar 28, 1999, at her home in LaMesa, CA.
She was born in Ashley, Aug 31, 1904. After graduating from Ashley High School in 1922, she took college courses and began teaching at the age of 18 in a one-room school in Saginaw County while continuing her education. After two years, she found a teaching position in Clinton County, where she met school superintendent James Rose. They married in 1926.
The Roses were parents of four daughters. They moved to Kalkaska in 1941, where they owned and operated the Frozen Food Locker plant and Dairy Bar for eight years. Velma worked in the locker plant cutting and wrapping meat, and later went back to teaching in Kalkaska County.
In 1958, they pursued a lifelong dream and moved to California, where she taught grade from 1958 until her retirement in 1980. During that time, she took classes at San Diego State University to complete her education, graduating with the class of 1963. The speaker that year was John F. Kennedy. The Roses spent their summers at their home in Kalkaska until Jim's death in 1979. After traveling to Europe, Hawaii, and Alaska, she settled in the San Diego area in 1993, continuing to spend summers in Kalkaska.
Mrs. Rose was loving, sensitive, educated and an excellent seamstress.
She is survived by daughters Margaret Ann (Lamar) Kleekner of Berkley, Ruth (Jack) Colsell of LaMesa, CA, and Phyllis (Edward) Teubert of Allen; sisters Helen Lowry and Pauline Goetschy of Ithaca and Madalene Lincoln of Alma; brother Wilbur (Jack) Coon of Ashley; 18 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter in 1991.
A celebration of life was held in the Chapel at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego Apr 1.
