For longtime 911 dispatcher ‘work was his main thing’

He turned that childhood fascination into a real-life professional career, said his niece Sherry Banks.

Rose, who worked 34 years as a 911 dispatcher for the city of Monroe, died Dec. 4. He was 62.

Monroe City Manager Larry Lester, at the end of a recent city council meeting, said he wanted to publicly address the passing of Rose, a 1981 Middletown High School graduate.

As a 911 dispatcher, he said Rose provided “a calm presence during challenging moments that set a high standard for all of us. We are grateful for his legacy and extend our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”

Banks said her uncle, whom she described as “the fun uncle,” dedicated his adult life to caring for his mother, Wilma Rose, and his career.

She said Rose never married or had children, and after years of caring for his mother, he seemed to enjoy the bachelor life.

Rose treated his nieces and nephews like his children, Banks said.

He also enjoyed his career, she said.

During Sunday dinners, a weekly tradition with the Rose family, he always talked about his career and some of the interesting calls he received that week.

“Work was his main thing,” said Banks, who added Rose was a huge Ohio State University football fan.

When the children played together, all the games centered around pretending they were responding to emergency calls.

When Rose was 14, he was with a relative at the Madison Twp. Fire Department. The paramedics ran down the street to pick up food and the phone rang. Rose answered it, got on the radio and dispatched for medical assistance, Banks said.

He’s survived by his siblings, Shirley (Robert) Patterson, Denny (Vickie) Rose, Pam (Ken Hemming) McKinney; niece, Sherry (Tracy) Banks; nephews, Kevin (Alice) Rose, Michael McKinney, Anthony (Jacki) McKinney; seven great- nieces and nephews, and five great-great nephews.

Funeral services were held last week and Rose was buried at Woodside Cemetery in Middletown.