John S. Rose

John S. Rose, age 79 of Melrose, succumbed to Parkinson’s Disease and died on June 28, 2023 surrounded by his family and close family friends.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 29 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with 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 from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 28 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church. Parish prayers will be held at 7 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.
John Sylvester Rose was born to Jack and Christina (Rau) Rose on March 29, 1944 in Freeport, Minnesota. He attended Sacred Heart School for his elementary education and then Melrose High School. He earned a business degree after 4 years at St. Cloud State College. He enlisted in the Army National Guards in 1966 and served for 6 years.
John married Sharon Schanhaar on June 18, 1966 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose, Minnesota. After John completed his basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, they moved to Columbia Heights and for a short time John worked for JCPenny. They then moved to Albany, MN where he worked for Albany Mutual Telephone Association (AMTA), 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 4-5 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 telephony 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; 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.
Donations can be made to: American Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, PO Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306; Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st St; Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131; Elevate (formerly Birthline), 376 3rd St NE, Waite Park, MN 56387; or St. Mary’s School Education Endowment Fund, 320 5th Ave SW. Melrose, MN 56352.
Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Melrose.