Kenneth E Rose

Kenneth Edward Rose was born  Dec. 8, 1938 to Pearl  Holbart Rose and Dorothy Mae (Morrell) Rose at  the family  home south  of Laird. Kenneth passed  away  Tuesday, May 8  at Poudre  Valley Hospital in Fort  Collins following a short illness.

He attended Liberty School  District #73,  a small country school house located just one· half mile from his home through the seventh grade when the district consolidated  with  the Laird schooL He continued school at Laird, graduating from high school in 1956.

In July  of 1954, his fa­ther  passed away leaving the family in dire straights. Kenneth  took over the farming and worked for other farmers in  the   area   to  help  his family  through this very difficult time.

On  January 25,  1959 he married Mary  Lou Hesse   who  grew   up  on the  family  farm   west  of Wray. To this union three  children were born; Pamela  Elaine in 1960, Kenny Dee in 1961 and Kent Lee in 1962. Kenneth and Mary Lou con­tinued to live on the home place until 1964 when they rented land east of Laird from Victor and Olive Stasser where they continued farming and raising cattle until 1971.

In  1970,  Kenneth and Mary Lou bought the Caleb Ekberg place just north of Beecher Island and moved the family there in 1971 where  he continued to farm and raise Angus cattle, im· proving genetics over the years and  developing a herd of reputation grade beef cattle in the past few years.

Kenneth was a very active  member  of the Yuma County  Cattle­ men’s Association where he served as President for two years and was a lifetime  member  of Wray Elks Lodge #2409  where he  served as Secretary for a number of years. Kenneth was deeply de­ voted to his wife and children and  their  spous· es as well as his seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Kenneth was preceded  in death by his parents; two sisters, Wilma  Kimmel and  Barbara  Rose; brothers in law  Marion Barnett and Delmar Kimmel, niece Patricia Bryant half brother Mor­ ris Rose and father and mother in law  Jimmy and Dorothy Hesse.

He is survived  by his wife  of  53  years,  Mary Lou; his three children, Pamela Zuege and her husband  Gary;  Kenny Dee and  his  wife Jeri Jo and   Kent   Lee  and   his wife Lori; his seven grandchildren Amber Cohoon and husband Josh   of Springfield,  Dillon Rose and wife Kiley, Chris Rose and wife Kim, Mallory Rose, Cory Zuege, Chynna Rose and Brook  Zuege and his nine great grandchildren Baylee Darcey, Aliya, Slayde  and  Jayce Cohoon;  Jordan,  Autumn and  James Rose; Preston and Maverick Rose; one sister Faye  Barnett; half sister Martha DeVries and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services for Kenneth were  held  Monday, May 14 with interment following at Grandview Cemetery in Wray. Memorial  contributions may be made to the Kenneth Rose  Memorial Fund  for the  purchase of medical equipment to be donated to Hillcrest  Care Center  or Hospice of the Plains.

Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home in Wray was  in charge of arrangements.

Kenneth E. Rose, 73 passed away May 8, 2012. A Receiving of Family and Friends will be held on Sunday, May 13, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado. A graveside service and interment will be held on Monday, May 14, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Grandview Cemetery in Wray, Colorado. Memorials to the Kenneth E. Rose Memorial Fund to purchase Medical Equipment for Hillcrest Care Center and Hospice of the Plains. Spellman-Schmidt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangments.