Ruth Rose

Ruth Rose 99, was born August 14, 1911 to Elta and Rose (Batchelor) Denno in Buchanan Township (previously known as Niles Township), Buchanan, Michigan on the Batchelor homestead. Her Batchelor pioneer family moved from Vermont and New York to Milton Township in Cass County in 1840 and moved to the homestead on the St. Joseph River in 1853. Francis Norris came with her parents from Wayne, Maine. Francis married George Washington Batchelor the son of Asa Batchelor (Vermont) and Jane Birdsall (New York). One of her ancestors on the Norris side was James Chilton who came on the Mayflower with his wife and daughter. On June 17, 1933 Ruth married Robert E. Rose at the Methodist Church in South Bend, Indiana. Bob died November 1, 1974 and is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Ruth was a housewife and raised two children and helped in the fields until the children were old enough to help. Ruth was a 65 year member of the Bend of the River Home Economics Club, a Berrien County branch of the State of Michigan Home Economics Extension. She became a state member when the clubs in Berrien County dissolved. She was the president of the local group and was a county representative. She was active in the First United Methodist Church where she was a Sunday School and Bible School teacher for 50 years. She was in the United Methodist Women's group, and had been President several times. She had been in the church circles. She has been a member of the History committee and helped with the presentation of the material in 2007 honoring the 100th anniversary of the church building. Ruth was active in parent organizations when the Gene and Jane were in school. She was in the Band Parents and PTA. She was a 4-H leader for 35 years and also worked at the Berrien County Fair for 45 years as an Entry Office Clerk and Livestock Clerk. Ruth became the Township Treasurer that she held for 25 years. Ruth helped to establish the Mud Lake Bog area. She helped to start the Buchanan Senior Citizen Center many years ago and also drove for the Meals On Wheels program. She was a member of the Business and Professional Woman's group in Buchanan. She was treasurer of the Buckteen group for years. Ruth was committee chair for the Buchanan Township Sesquicentennial committee. She was a member of the Buchanan Women of the Moose Chapter #450 and held many positions. She was also Moose Woman of the Year for the State of Michigan several years ago.Surviving Ruth are her children Gene and Ann (Coger) Rose of Buchanan, Jane Rose of Cody, Wyoming, Grandchildren Stacey (Rose) and Mark Eaton of Tallahassee, Florida, and Scott and Christine (Lobojko) Rose of Geneva, Illinois, Great-Grandchildren Brandon Rose and Amanda Rose of Geneva, Illinois along with many nieces and nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, parents Elta and Rose Denno, sister Erma Denno, brothers Claude Denno and Wyman Denno. Services will be Tuesday, November 9 at 11:00am at the First United Methodist Church, Buchanan, with visitation Monday, November 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Swem Chapel, Buchanan. The Reverend Rob McPherson of the First United Methodist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan. Memorials may be sent to Buchanan First United Methodist or Women of the Moose Chapter 450.