Charles William Rose, a San Luis Obispo county resident for many years, died peacefully at home on August 30, 2021, at the age of 94. He was born on September 5, 1926, in Wichita, Kansas, to a family of 8 children. His young years were filled with innocence during the years of the Depression. 

Charlie was a dedicated and loving husband to Ruth, his wife of 74 years. Married to each other at 18, after a late train ride home from boot camp, Charlie needed his mother’s signature to enlist at 17 and served in WWII as a Navy gunner on a merchant marine ship. Charlie and Ruth spent a lifetime in adventure, dancing and singing and farming and building, and anything else they could think of. Each of them lived for new challenges and faced every obstacle as a team. Both Charlie and Ruth were incredibly involved in the lives of their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Their steadiness provided a clear and poignant example of what it means to be devoted to your family. 

Charlie exemplified the idea of working hard and making a difference in everything he was involved in. Whether it was as a Navy gunner, a grocery store manager, a farmer, a handyman, or a contractor, he could be counted on to go beyond anyone’s expectations. When asked about his various skills, he has flatly stated that he often had to teach himself how to do things from scratch. And he did it over and over again, with every move into a new profession. It is that tenaciousness and steadfastness that made him a man anyone could count on. 

Above all, Charlie Rose will be remembered for his fierce dedication to family, his wry and quietly understanding approach to all challenges, and his unwavering and absolute determination. He approached life with zest and a quiet faith that nonetheless guided many of his life’s choices. He loved music and dancing. Even in his final months, he was still listening to his favorite CD’s 

Charlie loved trains, and after years of collecting all things “train,” he built a spectacular train room in his final home. He used to say that it took him five hours to get all of the trains running and five minutes for his grandchildren to get all of the trains off the tracks and in disarray. Charlie and Ruth danced their way through life with years of Ballroom dancing and Square dancing. Their enthusiasm for musical expression was contagious and abundantly shared with their entire family. Charlie was an active church-goer and led projects in construction, repair, administration, and leadership. He always jumped in wherever he was needed.

Charlie Rose joins his wife, Ruth (deceased 2018), and is survived by his son, Ron Rose; daughter, Maureen Rose; grandson, Ben Rose; granddaughters Summer Rose, Jennifer Hayes, and Lindsey Hayes; great-grandson, Johnny Rose; great-granddaughters Marcella Hayes, and Emelia and Louisa Rose; and great-great-grandsons, Jayden and Kyler Jordan. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his name to the Choir of Atascadero United Methodist Church.