Jerry Alfred Rose
Passed in: Sydney
Passed on: January 2nd, 2018
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the one and only, the great Jerry Rose.
Born December 1, 1944. Jerry passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on January 2, 2018 in the Palliative Care Unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital after a long, courageous battle with cancer. To say Jerry was courageous is an understatement. He possessed this virtue to the very end and fought cancer with courage, grace and dignity. His strength and resolve were unmatched. He loved life and had the courage to live it to the fullest!
Jerry’s zest for life was something to desire. No obstacle or problem was ever too big to solve and his ability to joke and laugh made the biggest obstacles, to the average person, seem minuscule. This trait is not easily learned but something Jerry always tried to teach by telling everyone to “just breathe”!
Born in North Sydney, in his younger years, Jerry could be found hanging out with the all the rink rats at the former North Sydney Forum or racing around in his suped up Mustang. He began a career as a mechanic working in various locations and later retired from Bell Aliant after 26 years of service.
He loved the outdoors and was the worlds’ greatest fisherman and hunter and always had the greatest tales about the big fish who got away or big buck that he missed. We often wondered if these ‘misses’ were bad luck or too many naps on the shoreline or in the blind. In later years, dad spent most of his days at his cabin in Estmere; life was always better at the cabin!
Jerry will be deeply missed by his loving wife of 45 years, Donna; his pride and joy, son and daughter, Troy (Clarice) and Tammy (Mike Quinn “Fridge”) of Enfield; and his special granddaughters or as he referred to them ‘the toys’, Jenna and Rachel; brothers, Ronald (Shirley), James (Wilma), North Sydney, Jack, Sydney Mines, Lou (Paulette), Halifax; and sisters, Ada Haggerty and Bertha (Leonard) McCormick, Sydney Mines.
Jerry is predeceased by his mother and father, Clara and Arthur; brothers, Wilfred, Andrew, David, Morris and Kenneth (in childhood) and sisters, Gertrude Dunphy, Ruby Harnish, Pamela Boyden, Zita Fowler, Ann Holland, Nellie Coulet and Edith Corkery.
Jerry will not only be sadly missed by his immediate family but also by many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends near and far.
We wish to express our thanks and deepest gratitude to many family members (Dougie), friends and health care professionals who assisted dad over the past two years while he battled cancer and especially the palliative care staff who provided comfort and support through his final days. We would also like to thank the volunteers who dedicate their time to make the family feel at home while in hospital.
A Celebration of Jerry’s life will be held on Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Chant’s Funeral Home, 564 Alexandra St., Sydney.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice Palliative Care Unit, Cancer Patient Care Fund and/or the Palliative Care Unit at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital or to a charity of one’s choice.
Online condolences may be made by visiting www.chantfuneralhome.ca.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of….
