Elva W. Rose

Elva W. Rose, 100, of Dowagiac, passed away on Thursday, June 6, 2019, at Three Rivers Hospital. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, July 5, 2019, at 12:00 PM at Clark Chapel, 405 Center St., Dowagiac. Burial will take place at Riverside Cemetery at a later date. Friends may visit with the family on Friday, from 11:00 AM until the time of service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Elva’s name may be made to the Silver Creek United Methodist Church. Those wishing to leave a condolence online may do so at www.clarkch.com. Elva was born May 26, 1919, to Floyd and Esther (English) Wagner in Cassopolis. When she was three years old she and her family moved to Vandalia where she grew up and graduated from high school. After high school, Elva moved to Kalamazoo to attend Beauty School. When she completed beauty school, she moved to Dowagiac and started working for Irma Smith at Bee’s Beauty Hive. She worked for $8.00 a week plus room and board. Not long after moving to Dowagiac was when she met the love of her life Gerald “Bud” Rose, who she married on September 20, 1941. They had their first child, Denny in 1943, just before Bud joined the Navy. When Bud left for the War, Elva moved back to Vandalia with her parents. She eventually moved to Cassopolis where she used a room for her beauty shop until Bud returned home from the war. Denny was almost 4 years old when he returned, and it was then they grew their family and had four more children, Terry, Philip, Sue Ann and Deborah. Later in life, Elva volunteered in the gift shop at Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital for over 25 years. Faith in God was something that was important to her, and that was shown through her commitment as a member of the Silver Creek United Methodist Church in Dowagiac. She was also longtime Antlerette at the Dowagiac Elks. Elva enjoyed spending time with her friends, once a month, 12 of her friends would get together for their monthly Bridge Club. Most of all she loved her family and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Elva is survived by her children, Philip (Vickie) Rose, Sue Ann Rose and Debbie Rose; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bud Rose; sons, Denny Rose and Terry Rose; siblings, Eileen (Jack) Reed, Betty (Jack) Minor and Bob (Mickie) Wagner.