Terry J. Rose

Terry J. Rose, Washington, Illinois, 78, passed quietly and surrounded by family at his home on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Terry, who was known to many as Rose, was raised with his sister Nancy in the countryside of Washington, IL, by George and Mildred Rose. It was a quiet life, and he enjoyed raising the animals and food that fed his family. He also found joy in his go-cart, which took him many miles on the gravel roads around where he grew up.

He attended Liberty Grade School, a small rural schoolhouse with a graduating class of 5, and then Washington Community High School, where he graduated in 1964. After high school, he attended Eureka College, where he was a member of the TKE fraternity house and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.

Fresh out of college, Rose became a 7th/8th-grade teacher at Washington Middle School in Washington, IL, where he remained for 10 years. As a language arts teacher, he was known by all the students as the cool young English teacher who drove muscle cars. Most students remember him for playing music in the classroom and having them dress up as the artist and pantomime the words to learn poetry in musical form. After teaching, he became a delivery driver for the following 32 years and finished his work career as the groundskeeper at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington, Illinois, where he took pride in maintaining the fields for the community to enjoy.

He loved all sports, with his favorites being stock cars, men's and women's college basketball and football, and the NFL. He supported his grandsons by attending many youth baseball games and marching band competitions. He also enjoyed sharing chocolate ice cream with anyone who was willing, especially his granddaughter. On a nice warm day, you could find Rose on his motorcycle traveling the back roads of Illinois or Wisconsin, and many hours were spent enjoying the ride and the beauty around him.

Rose was a quiet man. He was known to watch and listen to his family and friends around him and spoke wisely when asked for an opinion. With his deep understanding and empathy they would listen to him and many times took his advice. He deeply loved and supported his family and friends in all of their trials of life, no matter how large or small, and was always happy to help in any way he could. His family is who made him whole, and the love they have for Rose is big - so big that there are no proper words to describe this loss in the family.

Rose is survived by his wife, Ann Rose (McKinnie), his three children, and grandchildren: his son Chris, wife Jenn, and sons Nate and Zach; daughter Lindsay Chesney, husband Mike, and daughter Braelyn; Son, Jacob and his fiancé Kelsi Roth and his sister Nancy Wissinger and her daughters Mary and Anne.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington, IL, on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at noon, with a visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m. also at the church.

Rose died of glioblastoma (brain cancer), so the family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to KBStrong or a cancer research of your choice. For KBStrong, you can donate online at www.kbstrong-fightingthefight.com or send a check to Brad Stewart, 1210 Kensington Dr, Washington.