Edwin R. Rosen

Edwin R Rosen (96) passed away of natural causes on December 6, 2023, at home surrounded by family. Ed was passionate about music, an avid reader, a major war campaign scholar, and a consummate historian, heavily involved in his church as well as teaching bible classes and enjoying time with his family. Ed was a fabulous storyteller with a gift for telling the same story each time with dry humor while making historical events and people very vivid. During his lifetime, Ed enjoyed camping in his motorhome exploring the Midwest and Northwest campgrounds, and visiting family. Ed was born August 3, 1927, in Seattle, Washington in the Northgate neighborhood. As a child, Ed enjoyed exploring the Seattle area on bicycle and boating on Lake Union with his stepfather John, mother Lillian, and sister Joli. During the summers, he and his Aunt Louisa often bicycled down the old Highway 99 corridor to Shelton and around the Olympic Peninsula while camping on the side of the road. At the age of 17, Ed joined the Navy and served 8 years during WWII in the Pacific Theater and then radar operations after the war. He then served in the Air Force for twenty years as part of base operations at various bases in the USA as well as Goose Bay Labrador, Germany, and Thailand. Once he retired from the service, he graduated from Big Bend Community College and Eastern Washington University with a business degree. He worked for Melcher Manufacturing as a business/office manager until he retired. He met Winifred (Freddie) Turley in Kansas during his second Navy tour. After a brief romance, she told him she was getting married. He asked, “To whom?” She said “To you!” and he replied “Okay.” They had a large family of 5 children that followed Ed from base to base and finally settled in Cheney Washington. Ed was one of the founding elders of the Fellowship Baptist Church in Cheney, Washington. Ed is survived by his son John (Billie) Rosen, daughter Lynn (Bruce) Hand, daughter Maria (Gary) Ware, daughter Michelle (Norm) LeBret, 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his loving bride Winifred (Freddie) Rosen after 70+ years of marriage and daughter Cathy (Glenn) Swedelius. The memorial service will be held December 15, 2023, at 9 am at the Fellowship Baptist Church located at 317 W 2nd St, Cheney, Washington. A private ceremony will follow at the Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Washington. Donations in Ed’s name would be appreciated to the Fellowship Baptist Church or St Judes Children's Hospital.

Edwin R. Rosen

August 3, 1927 - December 6, 2023