Rose was born on May 27, 1912 at the home of her maternal uncle, John DeVincentis, in Erie, Pennsylvania. Rose was the daughter of Italian immigrants. Her father was John Mangin (1875 - 1948), and her mother was Concetta DeVincentis Mangin (1877 - 1959).
Rose was the first of her siblings to be born in the United States. Rose's father referred to her as "La Rosa di Maggio," which is Italian for "The Rose of May."
Since Italian was the language that her parents and siblings spoke at home, Rose initially spoke Italian as a young child and then learned English in primary school. Although she mastered English, she continued to speak, as well as read and write, Italian throughout her life.
In 1913, the home that her parents had had built on the 1000 block of West 21st Street was completed and Rose lived here until her early adulthood. She attended nearby Irving Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Erie Academy High School in February 1928 at age 15. While at Erie Academy, she learned stenography, typing and shorthand and was on the swim team. After graduation, she worked for Keystone Brass in Erie as an office worker.
Sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, Rose left Erie to work for a cousin on her mother's side who was a lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in Philadelphia, Rose took the Civil Service Exam, passed, and eventually found employment in Washington, DC as a Government secretary in the stenographic pool of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
In January 1936, Rose met another NLRB employee, Eugene C. Akre (1914 - 1995), a young man of Norwegian and Lutheran descent originally from Garretson, South Dakota. After a courtship of about six months, Rose and Eugene married on July 2, 1936 at Sacred Heart Church in Washington, DC. Since Eugene was not Catholic at the time, he and Rose were married in the rectory of the church, as the custom of the Catholic Church at that time was to marry couples of different faiths in the rectory and not the sanctuary.
Rose and Eugene had four children. Their eldest child, Rosemary Akre Shewan, died in 2012, while their three younger children (a daughter and two sons) are still living. Eugene and Rose raised their children in Arlington County, Virginia.
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Eugene enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rose and Eugene lived in Government quarters at Quantico, Virginia during part of World War II. In August 1944, Eugene shipped off to the Pacific theater for combat duty with the First Marine Division. Rose and the children returned to civilian life and their home in Arlington. Rose raised the children alone while Eugene was in the Pacific. Eugene returned to the family in Arlington after the War.
In January 1951 Rose and Eugene moved their family to Erie, Pennsylvania where Rose's parents and siblings still lived. They bought a home on the 2600 block of Poplar Street.
From June 29, 1959 to August 24, 1974, Rose and Eugene owned and managed their own retail grocery store, Gene Akre Meats & Groceries, on the northwest corner of 23rd and Liberty Streets, specializing in quality meats. Rose managed the store, ordered the stock and produce, stocked the shelves and handled the finances. Since there were area residents who also spoke Italian, it was not unusual to see Rose at the store conversing in Italian with her customers.
In the summer of 1964, Rose traveled with her youngest son to see Europe for the first time, including the small village of Pennapiedimonte, in the Abruzzo region of Chieti province, where her parents lived before they emigrated to the United States in 1911. Rose held her own when speaking Italian in Rome, but felt most comfortable when speaking the Pennapiedimonte dialect of Italian that she had spoken as a child.
Rose died on 26 August 1989 after a battle with lung cancer. Her husband Eugene and all four of her children survived her.
Rose was the first of her siblings to be born in the United States. Rose's father referred to her as "La Rosa di Maggio," which is Italian for "The Rose of May."
Since Italian was the language that her parents and siblings spoke at home, Rose initially spoke Italian as a young child and then learned English in primary school. Although she mastered English, she continued to speak, as well as read and write, Italian throughout her life.
In 1913, the home that her parents had had built on the 1000 block of West 21st Street was completed and Rose lived here until her early adulthood. She attended nearby Irving Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Erie Academy High School in February 1928 at age 15. While at Erie Academy, she learned stenography, typing and shorthand and was on the swim team. After graduation, she worked for Keystone Brass in Erie as an office worker.
Sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, Rose left Erie to work for a cousin on her mother's side who was a lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in Philadelphia, Rose took the Civil Service Exam, passed, and eventually found employment in Washington, DC as a Government secretary in the stenographic pool of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
In January 1936, Rose met another NLRB employee, Eugene C. Akre (1914 - 1995), a young man of Norwegian and Lutheran descent originally from Garretson, South Dakota. After a courtship of about six months, Rose and Eugene married on July 2, 1936 at Sacred Heart Church in Washington, DC. Since Eugene was not Catholic at the time, he and Rose were married in the rectory of the church, as the custom of the Catholic Church at that time was to marry couples of different faiths in the rectory and not the sanctuary.
Rose and Eugene had four children. Their eldest child, Rosemary Akre Shewan, died in 2012, while their three younger children (a daughter and two sons) are still living. Eugene and Rose raised their children in Arlington County, Virginia.
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Eugene enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rose and Eugene lived in Government quarters at Quantico, Virginia during part of World War II. In August 1944, Eugene shipped off to the Pacific theater for combat duty with the First Marine Division. Rose and the children returned to civilian life and their home in Arlington. Rose raised the children alone while Eugene was in the Pacific. Eugene returned to the family in Arlington after the War.
In January 1951 Rose and Eugene moved their family to Erie, Pennsylvania where Rose's parents and siblings still lived. They bought a home on the 2600 block of Poplar Street.
From June 29, 1959 to August 24, 1974, Rose and Eugene owned and managed their own retail grocery store, Gene Akre Meats & Groceries, on the northwest corner of 23rd and Liberty Streets, specializing in quality meats. Rose managed the store, ordered the stock and produce, stocked the shelves and handled the finances. Since there were area residents who also spoke Italian, it was not unusual to see Rose at the store conversing in Italian with her customers.
In the summer of 1964, Rose traveled with her youngest son to see Europe for the first time, including the small village of Pennapiedimonte, in the Abruzzo region of Chieti province, where her parents lived before they emigrated to the United States in 1911. Rose held her own when speaking Italian in Rome, but felt most comfortable when speaking the Pennapiedimonte dialect of Italian that she had spoken as a child.
Rose died on 26 August 1989 after a battle with lung cancer. Her husband Eugene and all four of her children survived her.
Rose was born on May 27, 1912 at the home of her maternal uncle, John DeVincentis, in Erie, Pennsylvania. Rose was the daughter of Italian immigrants. Her father was John Mangin (1875 - 1948), and her mother was Concetta DeVincentis Mangin (1877 - 1959).
Rose was the first of her siblings to be born in the United States. Rose's father referred to her as "La Rosa di Maggio," which is Italian for "The Rose of May."
Since Italian was the language that her parents and siblings spoke at home, Rose initially spoke Italian as a young child and then learned English in primary school. Although she mastered English, she continued to speak, as well as read and write, Italian throughout her life.
In 1913, the home that her parents had had built on the 1000 block of West 21st Street was completed and Rose lived here until her early adulthood. She attended nearby Irving Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Erie Academy High School in February 1928 at age 15. While at Erie Academy, she learned stenography, typing and shorthand and was on the swim team. After graduation, she worked for Keystone Brass in Erie as an office worker.
Sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, Rose left Erie to work for a cousin on her mother's side who was a lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in Philadelphia, Rose took the Civil Service Exam, passed, and eventually found employment in Washington, DC as a Government secretary in the stenographic pool of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
In January 1936, Rose met another NLRB employee, Eugene C. Akre (1914 - 1995), a young man of Norwegian and Lutheran descent originally from Garretson, South Dakota. After a courtship of about six months, Rose and Eugene married on July 2, 1936 at Sacred Heart Church in Washington, DC. Since Eugene was not Catholic at the time, he and Rose were married in the rectory of the church, as the custom of the Catholic Church at that time was to marry couples of different faiths in the rectory and not the sanctuary.
Rose and Eugene had four children. Their eldest child, Rosemary Akre Shewan, died in 2012, while their three younger children (a daughter and two sons) are still living. Eugene and Rose raised their children in Arlington County, Virginia.
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Eugene enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rose and Eugene lived in Government quarters at Quantico, Virginia during part of World War II. In August 1944, Eugene shipped off to the Pacific theater for combat duty with the First Marine Division. Rose and the children returned to civilian life and their home in Arlington. Rose raised the children alone while Eugene was in the Pacific. Eugene returned to the family in Arlington after the War.
In January 1951 Rose and Eugene moved their family to Erie, Pennsylvania where Rose's parents and siblings still lived. They bought a home on the 2600 block of Poplar Street.
From June 29, 1959 to August 24, 1974, Rose and Eugene owned and managed their own retail grocery store, Gene Akre Meats & Groceries, on the northwest corner of 23rd and Liberty Streets, specializing in quality meats. Rose managed the store, ordered the stock and produce, stocked the shelves and handled the finances. Since there were area residents who also spoke Italian, it was not unusual to see Rose at the store conversing in Italian with her customers.
In the summer of 1964, Rose traveled with her youngest son to see Europe for the first time, including the small village of Pennapiedimonte, in the Abruzzo region of Chieti province, where her parents lived before they emigrated to the United States in 1911. Rose held her own when speaking Italian in Rome, but felt most comfortable when speaking the Pennapiedimonte dialect of Italian that she had spoken as a child.
Rose died on 26 August 1989 after a battle with lung cancer. Her husband Eugene and all four of her children survived her.
Rose was the first of her siblings to be born in the United States. Rose's father referred to her as "La Rosa di Maggio," which is Italian for "The Rose of May."
Since Italian was the language that her parents and siblings spoke at home, Rose initially spoke Italian as a young child and then learned English in primary school. Although she mastered English, she continued to speak, as well as read and write, Italian throughout her life.
In 1913, the home that her parents had had built on the 1000 block of West 21st Street was completed and Rose lived here until her early adulthood. She attended nearby Irving Elementary School, Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from Erie Academy High School in February 1928 at age 15. While at Erie Academy, she learned stenography, typing and shorthand and was on the swim team. After graduation, she worked for Keystone Brass in Erie as an office worker.
Sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s, Rose left Erie to work for a cousin on her mother's side who was a lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in Philadelphia, Rose took the Civil Service Exam, passed, and eventually found employment in Washington, DC as a Government secretary in the stenographic pool of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
In January 1936, Rose met another NLRB employee, Eugene C. Akre (1914 - 1995), a young man of Norwegian and Lutheran descent originally from Garretson, South Dakota. After a courtship of about six months, Rose and Eugene married on July 2, 1936 at Sacred Heart Church in Washington, DC. Since Eugene was not Catholic at the time, he and Rose were married in the rectory of the church, as the custom of the Catholic Church at that time was to marry couples of different faiths in the rectory and not the sanctuary.
Rose and Eugene had four children. Their eldest child, Rosemary Akre Shewan, died in 2012, while their three younger children (a daughter and two sons) are still living. Eugene and Rose raised their children in Arlington County, Virginia.
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Eugene enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Rose and Eugene lived in Government quarters at Quantico, Virginia during part of World War II. In August 1944, Eugene shipped off to the Pacific theater for combat duty with the First Marine Division. Rose and the children returned to civilian life and their home in Arlington. Rose raised the children alone while Eugene was in the Pacific. Eugene returned to the family in Arlington after the War.
In January 1951 Rose and Eugene moved their family to Erie, Pennsylvania where Rose's parents and siblings still lived. They bought a home on the 2600 block of Poplar Street.
From June 29, 1959 to August 24, 1974, Rose and Eugene owned and managed their own retail grocery store, Gene Akre Meats & Groceries, on the northwest corner of 23rd and Liberty Streets, specializing in quality meats. Rose managed the store, ordered the stock and produce, stocked the shelves and handled the finances. Since there were area residents who also spoke Italian, it was not unusual to see Rose at the store conversing in Italian with her customers.
In the summer of 1964, Rose traveled with her youngest son to see Europe for the first time, including the small village of Pennapiedimonte, in the Abruzzo region of Chieti province, where her parents lived before they emigrated to the United States in 1911. Rose held her own when speaking Italian in Rome, but felt most comfortable when speaking the Pennapiedimonte dialect of Italian that she had spoken as a child.
Rose died on 26 August 1989 after a battle with lung cancer. Her husband Eugene and all four of her children survived her.
