Henry J. Rose

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World War II veteran Henry J. Rose, 91, died on July 26, 2010, at his home on New York Avenue in Oak Bluffs. He was born in Oak Bluffs to the late Carrie and Joseph C. Rose.

Henry graduated with the class of 1939 from the Oak Bluffs High School and the Swain School of Design in New Bedford in 1942 as a commercial artist.

In May of 1942 he was inducted into the U.S. Army and became a crewman in an antiaircraft unit. He served in battles and campaigns in Africa, Sicily, Casino, Naples, Rome, southern France, and the Rhineland.He received the European, African, Eastern Theater campaign ribbons with bronze star and arrowhead. He returned to the U.S. in September of 1945 from Germany.

Upon his return, Henry taught at the Swain School of design and attended Boston University. Later he had a silk screen and picture framing business of his own and did work for NASA.

He was approached by Bert Merrill, who had been principal of the Oak Bluffs school and was now superintendent of schools in Raynham, to teach art. He also became art supervisor of five schools within the district.

Upon retirement Henry moved back to Oak Bluffs and attended senior citizen wood carving classes and became a very prolific wood carver.

He spent his last five winters in Florida and summered in Oak Bluffs. He belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Henry was predeceased in death by his brother, Colonel Joseph C. Rose Jr., and his companion, Pamela Heylin.

He is survived by his two sons; Jeffery and wife, Kristen Daley, of San Francisco, Calif., and Brian Rose of Lakeville; three granddaughters, Amandine of San Francisco, and Kelsey and Michaela of Lakeville; a sister, Helen Wheeler of New Port Richey, Fla.; two nephews, Joseph Rose III of Alexandria, Va., and Bruce Rose of Melbourne, Fla.; two nieces, Marla Rose of Titusville, Fla., and Pamela Peckar of Alexandria, Va. and her three children, Carrie Ward of Highland Park, N.J., Helena Peckar of Alexandria, and Erik Peckar of Oak Bluffs.

A Military Funeral will be held in Oak Bluffs at Oak Grove Cemetery on September 5 at 11 am.