Rowena Rose

Rowena Boone Rose, age 91 of Gatesville passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026, in Gatesville, Texas.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Scott's Funeral Home with Pastor Royse Cockrell officiating. Interment will follow at Restland Cemetery.  

Rowena was born in Junction, Texas on January 22, 1935.  She was the daughter of Dorothy Jackson Boone and Richard Warren "Dick" Boone. She spent her early years in Odessa, Texas, and graduated from Junction High School, where she was a cheerleader and participated in numerous sports and school activities.

On May 31, 1955, she married the love of her life, Wilton Kermit Rose, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. They made their home in Odessa, Texas, where they lovingly adopted their daughter, Lori Ellen, and later their son, Richard Kermit.

Rowena was a proud member of the Daughter’s of the Republic of Texas (DRT). She had a deep passion for genealogy and devoted countless hours to researching and documenting her family's rich Texas heritage.

A gifted artist, Rowena found great joy in painting, creating many beautiful works of art, especially landscapes inspired by the Texas Hill Country she loved so dearly. She will be remembered for her generous heart, unwavering devotion to her family, dedication to preserving history, and enduring love for the great State of Texas.

Rowena was preceded in death by her parents, Richard Warren "Dick" Boone and Dorothy Jackson Boone; her beloved husband, Wilton Kermit Rose; her brothers, Richard Bennett Boone and Daniel Roy Boone; her sister, Dorothy Helen Boone; and her daughter, Lori Ellen Rose.

She is survived by her son, Richard Kermit Rose and wife, Dina; grandsons, Blake and Benjamin; granddaughters, Heather, Amber, and Mackenzie; great-grandchildren, Asher, Haleigh, Arik, Dehklan, Hadleigh, and Timothy; and her devoted twin sister, Lorena Boone Manning.

She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. While her family mourns her passing, they find comfort in knowing that her legacy lives on through the generations she cherished, the history she preserved, the artwork she created, and the lasting impact she made on her family and community.

Pallbearers will be her nephews and great-nephews: Beno Boone, Steve Manning, Tracy Manning, Toby Boone, Anthony Boone, Jared Boone, and Dylan Boone.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made in Rowena's honor to the Daughter’s of the Republic of Texas Library Fund, 810 San Marcos Street, Austin, Texas 78702.