Laurence V. Rosa

1920 - 2022

Mount Vernon - Mr. Laurence V. Rosa, a long-time resident of the Skagit Valley, passed away Sunday, December 25, 2022 in Mount Vernon at the age of 102. He was born in Inglenook, California on December 11, 1920, to Lorenzo and Claudina Rosa. Laurence was the seventh child to a family of nine children, two brothers and six sisters. He graduated from Fort Bragg High School with the class of 1938. After High School he spent time working in logging camps in California until he joined the Navy in 1939. Laurence served aboard the USS Thatcher & USS Bagley and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He served in the Navy throughout WWII and was Honorably Discharged in October of 1945, when he decided to attend college at UCLA. He received a degree in finance.

Laurence lived in various places throughout California before moving east to Virginia where he worked and retired from Rochester Wire & Cable Corporation. It was on his work trips that he would fly over Washington's Skagit Valley and decided that was where he wanted to spend his golden years. Upon retirement, he moved to Burlington, Washington and spent several decades discovering what the area had to offer.

Although retired, Laurence stayed very active. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing, clamming, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Many days were spent out in the woods finding old logging roads, discovering new vista points above the ocean, and collecting firewood. When at home, most of the time Laurence could be found working in his yard or tending to his huge garden. He was a devoted gardener who was passionate about growing and cooking his own food. He enjoyed sharing the fruits of his labor with neighbors, friends, family, and just about anyone he thought could use it. Being independent and self-sufficient was important to Laurence and he remained so, well into his 90s. At ninety-nine years young he could still be found outside mowing his lawn, chopping wood for his fireplace, and growing his own food. He was a member of the Burlington, WA American Legion, Post No. 0091 for 35 continuous years.

Laurence was preceded in death by his parents and all his siblings. He is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held Monday January 16, 2023, at Bayview Cemetery in Burlington, WA at 1:00 PM, with Chaplain Rosie Robles officiating. A Celebration of Life honoring Laurence will be held later in the year.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt Thank You to the Visiting Angels, the staff at The Bridge in Mount Vernon, and Hospice for their time spent with Laurence. You may give your condolences and share memories of Laurence at www.kernfuneralhome.com.