- Date Of Birth: December 24, 1922
- Date Of Death: January 7, 2019
- State: Arizona
Eugene S. Rose passed away on January 7th, 2019 in Scottsdale at the age of 96. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and an icon of integrity to all who knew him. Gene was born in Vicksburg, MS on 12/24/1922. He grew up in Depression-era Mississippi as part of a small Jewish community, assisting his parents in running the local drug store. One of his earliest childhood memories was running into the street to see one of the first airplanes to ever fly over Vicksburg. He excelled at academics and enrolled at Mississippi State in 1939 in pursuit of an engineering degree. Like so many of his generation, he answered the call of duty after Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the Army Air Force and rose to the rank of major by the end of the war. As a flight engineer, Gene manned B-29’s in missions over Japan from his base in Tinian. He returned stateside in 1945 to undergo lead flight school training for the anticipated invasion of Japan. Fortunately, the war ended prior to his return to combat. After the war he used his GI bill benefits to complete his undergraduate and Masters degrees in aeronautical engineering at the California Institute of Technology. He worked as an engineer until he met his beloved Jackie on a blind date in 1957. It was love at first sight and for the next 61 years, uninterrupted. They lived in New Orleans, raising their 4 children. Gene was ever-helpful in assisting with school projects, especially those with a technologic bent. After marrying Jackie, Gene worked for Magnolia Liquor as a vice president, then in 1969 he became a stock broker at Merrill Lynch. He won numerous awards as a broker and was a trusted advisor to his clients. Following his retirement in 1988, he and Jackie moved to Scottsdale where they established a wide network of friends. Gene always loved the West, and they spent a great deal of time at their home in Pinetop to enjoy the outdoor beauty offered by the Mogollon Rim.
Gene will be missed by family, friends and acquaintances who were charmed by his casual Southern manners, dignity and grace. His survivors include his loving wife Jackie, sons Stuart Rose, Ken Rose and Tom Rose, and daughter Melanie Rose, son-in-law Steven Glucksman, daughter-in-laws Beth Silberman, Rona Mast and Mimi Rose. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren and 5 step-grandchildren as well as a multitude of friends.
