Dr. Kenneth Gene Rose of Weatherford, devoted husband, loving father, and dedicated educator, passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2020, at Mercy Hospital, Oklahoma City. Dr. Rose was born March 15, 1944, in Clinton, Oklahoma to Eugene Wesley Rose and Mary Pauline Fleming Rose. From an early age, he was surrounded by a family of educators, including his mother, aunts, and uncles. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1962, earned a B.S.Ed from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1967, an M.Ed. from SWOSU in 1970, and an Ed.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1980.
Devoting his life to education, from 1968 to 1974, Dr. Rose taught, coached, and became a principal at Washita Heights Public Schools in Corn, Oklahoma. In 1974, he joined SWOSU as an instructor in physical education, later advancing to professor, Department Chair for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, and Dean of the College of Professional and Graduate Studies.
While teaching SCUBA at SWOSU, Ken met and fell in love with Susan Renee Smalley of Eakly, Oklahoma. He proposed to her underwater in the diving tank in the Living Seas exhibit at Epcot in Orlando, Florida. They married on the 26th of November in 1988 in the Eakly First United Methodist Church, and loved going on adventures from Clinton to Cancún.
Dr. Rose was a member of the Weatherford Rotary Club, serving a term as its president. He also served a term as president of the Oklahoma Health, Physical Education and Recreation Association, and served two decades on the Hospital Advisory Board for the Oklahoma Department of Health. He was a member of the Weatherford Masonic Lodge and became a 32nd degree Mason of the Guthrie Masonic Temple.
An expert in SCUBA diving, Dr. Rose wrote a number of scholarly papers pertaining to the effects of hyperbaric pressure on SCUBA divers and the psychological factors impacting diver performance. He also served as the Mid-American Region National YMCA SCUBA Regional Field Representative and Commissioner over a seven-state region for 20 years.
As a part of his work in developing programs for SWOSU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Dr. Rose was instrumental in the creation of park and recreational facilities at Crowder Lake and Foss Lake. While at SWOSU, he became Crowder Lake State and University Park Supervisor and Foss Lake Adventure Program Project Director.
Ken was a loving husband, father, brother, cousin, uncle, and friend. He loved spending time with his family on the ranch, as well as leading in activities such as snow skiing, nature hikes, and days on the lake, and instilled a love of outdoor activities in his entire family. He never missed an extracurricular activity for any of his children, and he could always be seen cheering in the stands of any event, even if that meant driving hundreds of hours and catching dozens of flights. Ken loved unconditionally and was constantly showing his unwavering and overflowing support. He practiced his faith at the First United Methodist Church in Weatherford, Oklahoma.
Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Susan Rose, of Weatherford, OK, their children D’Ann Rose Berrong and fiancé Preston Doerflinger Norman, Ok, Wesly Rose of Weatherford, OK, Tiler Rose of Houston, TX, and David Rose of Weatherford, OK, his sister Judy Overton of Leawood, KS, and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and students, past and present.
Funeral services will be held 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Interment will follow in the Custer City Masonic Cemetery and under the direction of Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.
Memorial Contributions can be made to the Ken Rose Scholorship fund at SWOSU, Weatherford Rotary, or the Weatherford 1st United Methodist Church.