Sara Jane Rose

Sara “Sally” Rose, our beloved mom, grandmother, and sister, passed away on January 13, 2025, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio.

Sally was born on March 7, 1942, in Beaver County, Pennsylvania to Hampton and Dorothy (Machin) Grant. She attended Beaver Area High School and participated in the marching band. It was there she met her future husband and love of her life, William “Bill” Rose. She graduated from Beaver Area High School in 1960. Sally then went on to take courses at Edinboro State College (now Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro). She left Edinboro State, working as a Sales Associate at Sears Department Store, later becoming a secretary for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Pittsburgh Office.

Sally and Bill married on April 1st of 1966 and had two children: a daughter Holly R. (José) Garcia and son Scott W. (Jody) Rose. The early years of the family included several moves around the country to Utah, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, finally rooting themselves in Toledo, Ohio in 1984. Even though Sally lived in Northwest Ohio, she kept her strong ties to Western Pennsylvania. The whole family would make frequent trips back to see family and favorite places in Beaver, including Kretchmar's Bakery, Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe, and H.R. Grant & Son’s Paint Store.

Sally worked prior to having children but chose to be a stay-at-home mother until the children were older. She returned to work at Thackeray’s Books at Westgate, where she was surrounded by books and others who enjoyed reading as much as her. Sally inherited her family’s work ethic and support for independent businesses and eventually became Assistant Store Manager. She worked at Thackeray’s until it was purchased by Borders Books, where she finally retired. She was beloved at Thackeray’s and often referred to as the “Work Mom” for some of the younger employees. She formed life-long friendships with many of her coworkers, keeping in touch decades later through Facebook, holiday cards, and frequent phone calls.

After retiring from work, she continued to be involved in the community through Christ Presbyterian Church, where she served as a volunteer and Deacon for a period. After the passing of her beloved Bill in 2009, she moved from their home in Sylvania, Ohio to Elizabeth Scott Community in Monclova, Ohio in 2016. She lived there for the rest of her time in the Independent Living wing. Sally made many friends and was loved for her kindness towards the staff and other residents, unbeatable knowledge in trivia, and providing the daily headlines to her tablemates at lunch and dinner.

Sally was an avid reader and a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Her sharp mind and yearning for information made her a beloved conversationalist to many. Sally cared deeply for those she loved and maintained friendships with those she met across the country in the family’s many moves. She will forever be remembered as a devoted wife, attentive mother, loving grandmother, and a compassionate friend.

She was preceded by her parents, Hampton and Dorothy (Machin) Grant; husband Bill Rose; and sister Patricia “Patty” (Tom) Kissick. She is forever remembered by her brother Charles “Chuck” (Jeri) Grant; children Holly Rose (José) Garcia and Scott W. (Jody) Rose; and granddaughters Erin Rose Westrick and Abigail Rose.

A private remembrance ceremony will be held at a later date in Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in check form and mailed to Elizabeth Scott Community in Sally’s name. The family would like to thank the staff at Elizabeth Scott and Hospice of Northwest Ohio for their care, kindness and support during Sally’s final days.