Rose, Dr. Earl Forrest

Dr. Earl Forrest Rose, a renowned forensic pathologist, professor of medicine and lecturer of law, died at Oaknoll Retirement Residence in Iowa City on May 1, 2012, from complications of Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Rose was born in Eagle Butte, S.D., on Sept. 23, 1926, to Forest and Lena (Berhuis) Rose, and grew up on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation. He volunteered for the U.S. Navy at age 17 and served on the submarine USS Sea Devil in the Pacific Theater in World War II.

After the war, Dr. Rose earned his B.A. from Yankton College in Yankton, S.D., attended the University of South Dakota Medical School and obtained his M.D. at the University of Nebraska. On July 28, 1951, he married Marilyn Preheim of Freeman, S.D. After a stint as a revered general practice doctor in Lemmon, S.D., he became certified in surgical pathology, clinical pathology and forensic pathology. Later he earned a law degree at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Rose was Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the Tidewater Region of Virginia before being hired in early 1963 to establish the first-ever medical examiner system for the city and county of Dallas, Texas. He was the medical examiner at the time of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. He played a key role in efforts to uphold the law and to shed light on what happened that day and, later, dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination.

“The law was broken,” Dr. Rose said in a rare 1992 interview published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “A Texas autopsy would have assured a tight chain of custody on all the evidence.” Dr. Rose performed the autopsy on patrolman J.D. Tippit who was killed by assassin Lee Harvey Oswald that day. Two days later, he autopsied Oswald himself who was killed by Jack Ruby; and five years later, he autopsied Ruby.

In 1968, Dr Rose became a professor of pathology and lecturer in law at the University of Iowa where he published widely, was popular with students and received numerous teaching and social justice awards.

Upon retirement in 1992, he took up woodworking and writing. Together with his wife, he also became a mediator in Johnson County Small Claims Court and worked with the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program in Iowa's Sixth Judicial District.

In addition to his wife of over 60 years, Marilyn, he is survived by his five daughters and their husbands, Elise Rose and Mark Figura of Anchorage, Alaska, Cecile Rose and Rick Bieser of Denver, Colo., Karen Rose and Robert Welsh of Williamsburg, Va., Miriam Rose and Jay Wilson of Charleston, S.C., and Carol Rose and Tom Harrington of Lexington, Mass.; as well as 12 grandchildren; and his brother, Robert Rose of Eagle Butte, S.D.

His son Forrest, preceded him in death.

A memorial service for Dr. Rose will be held June 11, at 10:30 a.m. at First Mennonite Church in Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Mennonite Central Committee, 21 S. 12th St., PO Box 500, Akron, PA 17501-0500 or online: https://donate.mcc.org/ or to the National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 N.W. Ninth Ave., Miami, FL 33136 or online: http://www.parkinson.org/How-to-Help/Donations-Options. aspx.

Arrangements are with Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City. Condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com.

Published May 4, 2012 in The Gazette

2nd notice published June 8, 2012 in The Gazette