Ruth Houser Rose

ROSE, Ruth Houser, of Richmond, was born July 7, 1911 and died September 26, 2007. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard H. Rose, contractor; and is survived by six children, Patricia Rose Hillsman, Richard H. Rose Jr., David F. Rose, Peter H. Rose, John N. Rose and Walter C. Rose; 17 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; also one sister- in-law, Roberta Rose Thomas. Mrs. Rose was a Christian women and a lifetime member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. She was a prominent Richmond artist for more than 30 years, best known for her bold, colorful oil paintings and her Pop Art sensibility. Her work has been displayed in shows at The Virginia Museum, the Chrysler Museum, the University of Richmond, and numerous galleries and shows in the Mid-Atlantic region. She studied art at the Virginia Museum and taught painting for 13 years for the Richmond Department of Recreation and Parks. "Art is a lifetime process of study and exploration," she once said. Born in Stony Creek in Sussex County, Mrs. Rose was a member of the Richmond Artists Association. She won numerous Best in Show awards at the Tuckahoe Woman's Club annual art exhibit. Many of her works were based on scenes she noticed during travels with her many children and grandchildren, including a series of aerial paintings. One of her last shows was held in 1995, when she was 83, at Artspace gallery on East Broad Street. She spent most of her life in Richmond, painting and raising her family in a rambling, renovated fraternity house near the University of Richmond. She was loved by her family and all who knew her. The family will receive friends 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Parham Chapel, Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd., where services will be conducted 11 a.m. Monday. Interment in Blandford Cemetery, Petersburg.