John S. Rose

John S. Rose, 79, of Melrose, succumbed to Parkinson’s disease and died June 28, 2023, surrounded by his family and close family friends. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with the Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating. Inurnment will be in the parish cemetery at a later date. Military honors will be provided by the Melrose Veterans Honor Guard. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday, July 28, at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and 10-11 a.m., July 29, at the church. Parish prayers will be at 7 p.m. July 28 at the funeral home. John Sylvester Rose was born to Jack and Christina (Rau) Rose March 29, 1944, in Freeport. He attended Sacred Heart School for his elementary education and then Melrose High School. He earned a business degree after four years at St. Cloud State College. He enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1966 and served for six years. John married Sharon Schanhaar June 18, 1966, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose. After John completed his basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, they moved to Columbia Heights, and for a short time John worked for JCPenney. They then moved to Albany, where he worked for Albany Mutual Telephone Association, becoming manager in 1980, holding that position until his retirement in 2006. During his time as manager, an innovative decision served to make AMTA one of the richest, per subscriber, telephone co-ops in the nation. John lived in Albany until 1991, then moved to a home on Big Birch Lake, which remained their home until moving to Melrose in 2020. John enjoyed sports, playing football, basketball and baseball while in high school. His favorite sport was golf. He would often play four to five rounds per week and carried a handicap of 2-4 until Parkinson’s robbed him of abilities. Most of all John loved family activities, including camping, water-skiing, cross-country skiing, tobogganing, roasting hot dogs and s’mores, playing cards and board games. He truly cherished times spent with his grandsons, Nicholas and Nathan. John was very civic minded. He was a member of the Albany Fire Department for 18 years, supported his community and served on various Albany area boards. John also served on numerous state telephone boards and committees, including president of the Minnesota Telephone Association. John was a member of the St. Rosa Lions. John was loved by many, known for his integrity, humility and kind and caring nature. But, most of all, for his keen and witty sense of humor. He enjoyed a good card game, especially cribbage, eating salted in the shell peanuts while watching sports on TV, a good brandy Manhattan and a beer or two with friends. He loved ice cream and Twinkies. John is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sharon; daughters Jeanne Zeinert (fiancé Matt Nelson) and Nancy (Terrence) Wahl; grandsons Nicholas and Nathan; brother Herman (Therese) Rose; and sisters Carol (Bob Flom) Loxtercamp and Judy (Marvin) Thielen. Preceding John in death were his parents, Jack and Christine (Rau) Rose; grandparents Herman and Theresia (Benolken) Rose and Peter and Bertha (Hageman) Rau; many aunts and uncles; and his beloved dog, Sadie. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: American Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, PO Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306; Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE First St. Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131; Elevate (formerly Birthline), 376 Third St. NE, Waite Park, MN 56387; or St. Mary’s School Education Endowment Fund, 320 Fifth Ave. SW, Melrose, MN 56352 Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Melrose. P-30-1B

• Share
• Discuss
• July 26, 2023