After a year of battling cancer, our husband and father left us peacefully Nov. 14, 2005 at home. He was surrounded with prayer and love by his close-knit family.

Richard Alan Rose, 75, was born to Galen and Helen Rose on Dec. 18, 1929 in Lancaster, Wis. He was the second oldest son of six boys, Glen, Richard, Jim, Bill, Jack and Jerry.

Richard graduated from Blessed Sacrament Grade School in Omaha, Neb., in 1943, from Creighton Prep High School in Omaha in 1947, various Navy training schools, and finally received a dual baccalaureate degree in Accounting & Business Administration from Western Washington University in Bellingham in 1970.

Dad, also known as Jaws or Rosie, was a proud member of the U.S. Navy for 10 years. He served with distinction earning the China and Korean Service Medals. He saw duty in the Japan, Korea and Philippine theaters of operation as an in-flight technician (radar/radioman) with Patrol Squadron 2. Dad was stationed in Washington at the Oak Harbor Naval Air Station in 1953 where he met his future wife, Donna Pettett of Mount Vernon. They were then stationed in Kansas at Olathe NAS until he left the Navy to work with RCA in 1957.

He worked for RCA as a technical representative, field engineer, operations supervisor, installation and maintenance engineer, and field projects manager. The family lived in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, and Ontario and Oxnard, Calif. In 1973 he was transferred to management with RCA in their Alascom division in Anchorage. When Pacific Telecom bought Alascom they were transferred to Vancouver, Wash., from where he retired in February 1989. The family then returned to Oak Harbor to live and enjoy what has been called “the best view on the island.”

Dad always seemed to live and enjoy life to the fullest. As a young man in school he enjoyed playing playing baseball, football and hockey. While in the Navy he played football and basketball. He loved to troll the Alaskan lakes and fish the streams for all types of trout, and he and Donna were ardent fishers on the coastal waters. After moving to Washington they loved to go golfing together and go out in their boat for crabs in Puget Sound and waters of the San Juan Island. Grandpa always enjoyed teaching the grandkids how to catch the big one. Also, how to get the #$&* little white ball in that #$&* little hole in the green!

After retirement Rich and Donna were able to take extended trips overseas and traveled to distant locations in the U.S. They especially enjoyed going to the VP-2 reunions and traveling to visit their nine grandchildren and ten great grandkids.

Rich was an active member of the St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, the Elks Club, VFW Post 7392, and the Whidbey Island Golf & Country Club, all of Oak Harbor.

A Rosary was said Nov. 18 at St. Augustine’s followed by Mass. At Dad’s request, donations in his memory may be made to the Tall Elks, and in-home pediatric therapy program, at 155 NE Ernst St., Oak Harbor WA 98277, or call 1-800-TALELKS. Thank you for helping us to celebrate and rejoice in the next stage of Dad’s life and journey in faith with Christ!