Alice Elizabeth (Martin) Rose passed away unexpectedly on April 3 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, surrounded by the love and presence of her family. She was 102.
She was born August 29, 1910 in New Bedford and moved to Oak Bluffs at age three months, the daughter of the late John Martin and Mary Ann (Swartz). She resided in the same neighborhood for the remainder of her life, having attended school in Oak Bluffs.
In October 1932 she married Joseph A Rose. They shared fifty-six wonderful years, raising their family together at their Wing Road home. Joseph passed away in March 1989.
Alice was a gracious hostess and a homemaker, always baking Portuguese sweet bread and fried dough as well as other traditional foods especially during the holidays. One would usually find her making quahog chowder for family or friends. Everyone enjoyed her onion sandwiches and stuffed quahogs. She catered innumerable gatherings across the Vineyard.
During the summers she spent many years working for Anna (Allen) Norton Maxson in Chilmark as well as with Vera (Laytham) West in East Chop and her daughter Sarah Jane (Hipp) Sylvia of Hines Point. She also worked for Maurice and Barbara (Moore) Pease and the Joseph and Margaret Hooker family in Harthaven. Their daughters Isabel Hooker and Mary (Hooker) Crary have always remembered Alice for her kindness over the years.
In their retirement years, Joe and Alice would spend their winters in Dania, Florida surrounded by their Oak Bluffs neighbors. Alice was a member of the Sacred Heart Ladies Guild and a communicant of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.
Alice took great pride in her flower garden, the subject of photographers and artists alike. She faithfully enjoyed feeding her birds year-round.
Her family was the heart and soul of her life. She was proud of each and every one and their accomplishments. She not only nurtured her family but her neighborhood of 102 years as well. She was a treasured friend to her neighbors. Alice had a big heart for such a diminutive woman. An independent soul who had cared for five generations of her family, leaving each with valuable life lessons. She was a woman of faith who lived a very beautiful meaningful life.
In addition to her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by her siblings Joseph Martin, Mary (Martin) Monahan, Libby (Martin) Packish, and Ernest Martin. She was predeceased by her daughter in law Emily Huntington Rose.
Alice is survived by her children Ernestine (Rose) Kinnecom and her husband Captain Robert Kinnecom of Oak Bluffs, Ronald Rose of Tisbury, Stephen Rose and his wife Kathleen of Edgartown. Her grandchildren include Cheryl (Kinnecom) and husband James Cullinan of Florida, Joann (Kinnecom) and husband Brian Murphy of Tisbury, Roberta (Kinnecom) Evans of Mashpee, Barbara Kinnecom of North Carolina, and Robert Kinnecom II and his wife Rosemary (Sylvia) of Florida. Stephanie (Rose) Jette of Easton, Jonathan Rose of Tisbury, Sheila Rose of Edgartown, and Adam Rose and his wife Robin of Shrewsbury. Great grandchildren include Alison Reynolds of Oak Bluffs, David Reynolds and Ashley Cullinan of Florida, Kimberly and husband James Burke of Oak Bluffs, Patrick Murphy of Tisbury, Amanda Murphy of California, Richard Medeiros of Tisbury, Shaylah and Natasha Jette of Easton, Jeremy Evans and his wife Kerry of New Hampshire. Her great great great grandchildren include Christopher Reynolds of Oak Bluffs, Bianca Teano and Payton Tennant of Oak Bluffs, Christian Evans of Falmouth, Lyla and Ethan Rose of Shrewsbury.
Funeral services were held on Monday, April 8 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church with mass conducted by Father Michael Nagle. Burial was at Sacred Heart Cemetery under the guidance of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers, Alice’s family would appreciate donations to the Holy Ghost Society Scholarship Fund – Box 2203 Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, Good Shepard Parish – Box 1058 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or the Visiting Nurse Association 455 State Road PMB 312 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
