Robert Kenneth “Bob” Rose, Jr.
Mr. Robert Kenneth “Bob” Rose, Jr. was born on Oct. 3, 1931, to Robert Kenneth Rose, Sr. (formerly Robert Neil Rose. Robert Sr. hated the name “Neil” so he changed it to “Kenneth”) and Sarah Elizabeth (Long) Rose.
He died Saturday, June 13, 2020, at his home in Ruston with his family by his side.
Bob grew up in the Shreveport area with many friends in the neighborhood. His father was killed in an unfortunate accident when Bob was 3 years old so he grew up an only child. He played football and did some amateur boxing in his teens as well as served as a member of the “Fire Watch” during WWII.
After graduating from high school, he briefly attended Louisiana Tech University before deciding to join the United States Navy. He served during the Korean War in the Navy as a plane mechanic on the U.S.S. Kearsarge among other aircraft carriers to which he was assigned. Once he was discharged from the Navy, he returned to Louisiana Tech to pursue a degree in engineering but took a math class, fell in love with numbers, and changed his major to accounting.
Bob met the love of his life (aside from Shirley Temple), while at Louisiana Tech — Martha Sue Wheatly. They married in August of 1957 and were married for 53 years until her death in March, 2010.
Bob will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a person who tried to care for others, always there to help if he could. He will also be remembered for his wicked sense of humor. Bob had some of the best jokes and loved to laugh.
Besides Martha, the lights of his life were his four grandchildren, all of whom he was very proud of and did not hesitate to show off photos or tell stories about to anyone who would look and/or listen. Bob was an accountant for City Service in Shreveport and in Philadelphia, PA, then for Hunt Lumber Company of Ruston, LA When Hunt Lumber was sold to Willamette Industries, he stayed on and was an accountant for them until he retired. But not one to sit and put his feet up, he continued in retirement to work for the Hunt brothers — Alex, Davis, and Thomas.
At 87 years old, he was still getting up daily and going to work. He had a good work ethic that he endeavored to instill in his children and grandchildren. He was getting up to go to work on June 10, 2019, when he had a fall that changed his life. He never recovered from this fall and one year and three days later, the effects caused him to go to heaven to be with his wife, mother, father, and other cherished relatives who had passed before him.
He was preceded in death by his devoted wife, Martha, his parents, his beloved brother-in-law, Raymond Edwards; his brother-and sister-in-law Eddie and Gwen Ardoyno; and his “adopted father”-in-law, Frank Stuart Wheatly of Hodge, LA; as well as his mother-in-law, Jessie A. Wheatly.
Left to remember and laugh remembering stories about him are his daughter Karen Boatright (Scott); and son, Douglas Rose; grandchildren Callie Hardel, and fiancée, Cameron Haughton; and Jessie Hardel Boatright; all of Ruston, LA; Taylor Stephens and wife, Sierra Stephens of Roseville, MI; and Holden Rose and wife, Kimberly Rose (Raner) of Las Vegas, NV; sister-in-law Lynn Edwards of Stonewall, LA; cousins Debbie Coleman of Longview, TX; Sharon Freeman of Denver, CO; Jimmy Lee Driver and Barbara Graham both of Padre Island, TX; special coworkers Connie Watts, Geoff Watts, Larry Cryer, Jim Speicher, Fern McDaniel, Nancy Knowles, and friends too numerous to count.
Bob stated “Flowers are nice but charity is better. And I chose the Methodist Children’s Home,” so donations in his memory to MCH in lieu of flowers will be most welcome.
A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, 2020, at Forest Lawn Cemetery under the direction of Owen’s Funeral Home and ministered by the Rev. Rolly Walker.
The family would like to thank Haven Home Health, Ascend Hospice, and Tender Touch sitter service for their care of Bob and our family. Special thanks to Ms. Donna Joe for her patience, wisdom, and gentle care of not only Bob but his family as well.
