Larry Rose
HAMILTON — Former Hamilton Fire Chief Larry Rose died Thanksgiving Day at Tri-County Extended Care after a 10-year battle with cancer. He was 91
Mr. Rose and his wife, Juanita, would have celebrated 70 years of marriage in January.
“He lived for his family,” said John Loman, his son-in-law. “I enjoy talking about him. He had an interesting life, and I admire him.”
Loman said many years ago, also on Thanksgiving Day, Mr. Rose’s own father, Browning Rose, died at the Tri-County Extended Care facility in Fairfield.
Larry Rose was a World War II Army Artillery veteran who fought in the Battle of Bulge. He was known as a superb softball player and is in the Butler County Softball Hall of Fame.
A former arson specialist for the state of Ohio, Mr. Rose became Hamilton’s fire chief in 1971, and retired in 1978.
Mr. Rose didn’t want to become fire chief initially, but was talked into taking the test after Stanley Meyer, a deputy chief at the time, was killed in a fire.
“He wanted Meyer to get” the job, Loman said.
Loman said Mr. Rose was the man responsible for bringing paramedics into Hamilton — previously there was only a squad that transported people to the hospital.
Resident Bob Short had known Mr. Rose since 1961 — Short was union president when Rose served as chief.
“He’s an excellent person, unmatchable,” Short said. “I don’t think anyone could say anything bad about him.”
The two men shared a common interest in religion. Mr. Rose was a member of Hamilton Church of God.
“We really connected through religion and could relate to each other,” Short said.
Mr. Rose is survived by his wife, Juanita, who lives at Fairfield Pavilion; a daughter and son-in-law, Myra and John Loman; a son and daughter-in-law, Lawrence and Joyce Rose; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Hamilton Church of God. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, also at the church. Funeral arrangements are by the Brown-Dawson Funeral Home in Hamilton.
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