December 28, 1927 - July 20, 2015 Betty Jane (Bartholomew) Rose (Grandma Betty) passed away the afternoon of July 20, 2015, at her home, surrounded with love. Betty was born in Missouri on December 28, 1927, the fifth child of George Earl and Bess Lee (Howitt) Bartholomew. Betty was the youngest of her five siblings; Leroy Bartholomew, Virginia Johnson, Robert Bartholomew and Emma Jean Packard. Betty was a devoted and loving sister, and through her pure love and strength, she managed to live the longest of her siblings to the age of 87. As a young girl, Betty moved with her parents from Missouri to Southern California and lived there through her high school graduation from Glendale High. At the age of 18, she moved to New York in pursuit of an acting and modeling career. In New York, she was introduced to the love of her life, composer, David Rose. Betty and David had two daughters, Melanie Lee Rose (Bardwil) and Angela Rose (White), and were married for 43 years until David's passing in 1990. Betty took great pride in her work as the president of the David Rose Publishing Company, where she worked alongside her daughter, Angela. Angela merged her legal career into a music publishing career following the deaths of her father in 1990, and her sister, Melanie, in 1993. Betty loved coming into the office for lunch where she shared stories and history about her life and about the music of her late husband. She entertained everyone with stories of her experiences with some of America's great singers, songwriters and arrangers. After Melanie's passing in 1993, Betty helped raise Melanie's two daughters, Alexis and Samantha. Betty was a devoted Grandma Betty, who loved all four of her grandchildren (Alexis, Samantha, Adam and Lauren) with great compassion, patience, generosity and energy. Her mission later in life was to see her grandchildren fulfill their dreams. She was supportive and non-judgmental, offering advice and love at every opportunity. Betty's life was enhanced greatly with the accomplishments and happiness of her grandchildren. She was able to see Alexis graduate college, marry her husband, Sebastian Arocha Morton, and give birth to twin great granddaughters, Stella Jane and Maya Rose Morton. It was a great pleasure for her to introduce her granddaughter, Samantha, to her friends and music associates, as Samantha pursued and then realized her dream of becoming a singer/songwriter, which was then followed by her engagement to her fiancé Ryan Lapinsky. Betty attended her grandson Adam's graduation from Tufts University, and spent time with him in London while he was attending the London School of Economics. Betty was extremely proud of her youngest granddaughter Lauren, who persistently sought a college degree and realized her dream of becoming a real estate agent. Betty loved all of her family very much, including all her nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews. While her first love was her family, Betty took interest in many others, and generously nurtured those who needed her guidance and unconditional love. Betty loved compassionately, and was a mother to many. Betty had many hobbies-doll collecting and dollhouse decorating, gardening, traveling, cooking, eating, wine tasting and collecting. She could eat the juiciest cheeseburger, or drink a margarita laced with an "extra shot" of her favorite tequila while always maintaining her gracious and regal style. But, it was Betty's passion for her garden of roses, and the birds feeding at her kitchen window, that brought her the greatest joy as she became more limited from the effects of Parkinson's disease. Betty also was a great supporter of charities, in particular, the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation. The world of music, however, always took center stage for Betty. Betty sat on the boards of the Young Musician's Foundation, the Pioneer Broadcasters, and the Society of Singers. Betty also supported the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, the Blue Ribbon, and the Professional Dancers Society. ASCAP was a particular favorite for Betty. She created ASCAP's Betty Rose Scholarship and the David Rose Scholarship, and would enjoy visiting the ASCAP offices in Los Angeles and New York to meet the scholarship recipients. Betty enjoyed attending events and raising money for all these organizations, and she was regularly accompanied by her "dates," Angela and son-in-law, Steven White. Betty was a member of the Neptune Society and did not want a funeral. There will be a private toast celebrating Betty on August 2, 2015. In honor of Betty Rose, please feel free to make donations to any of the following organizations: SOCIETY OF SINGERS (www.singers.org/) YOUNG MUSICIANS FOUNDATION (www.ymf.org/) MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION (www.michaeljfox.org/) LOS ANGELES ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDENS (www.lazoo.org/about/glaza/) MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS FOUNDATION (www.mhopus.org/) PROVIDENCE ST. JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER (http://california.providence.org/saint-joseph/)
Published in the Los Angeles Times from July 25 to July 26, 2015