Rose

William “Bill” Rose, 72, of Oceanside, Calif., passed away on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, following a brief illness.

He was born in Pittsburgh but grew up in Butler. He attended Butler High School, graduating in 1969. Bill was an outstanding distance runner, establishing a number of records, as well as winning the WPIAL Cross Country Championships his senior year. He received a full scholarship for track and cross country and attended McCook Junior College in Nebraska. After two years, he entered the U.S. Air Force, where he served for 10 years. When he left the Air Force, Bill started his career with IBM. A job opportunity took him to the Washington, D.C., area, where he continued to apply his considerable talents in the technical support field. While there, he met the love of his life, Dorcy Bowman. They were married for 33 years.

Bill led technical support departments at esteemed companies like IBM, Hitachi and Candle. In the 1990s, he founded Software Support Professionals Association (SSPA), a community organization representing more than 24,000 technical support professionals at more than 2,700 support centers worldwide, including Microsoft, IBM and Computerworld. Before retiring, he earned a Master of Business Administration in management information systems in order to share his knowledge as a professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus and the University of Arizona.

Bill’s magnificent spirit is alive in the treasured memories of his wife, Dorcy Bowman Rose; twin daughters, Angela Kay Childress and Jessica Kay Ford; son, Michael Robert Rose; son-in-law, Eddy Joe Ford; mother-in-law, Barbara Bowman; and sister-in-law, Laure Bowman. He also is remembered by his grandchildren, Parker Kent Childress, Hannah Colleen Jaen, Mason Robert Childress, Afton Kaye Ford and Ethan William Ford; and his great-granddaughter, Amara Kathleen Jaen. Survivors include his brother, Robert Rose and his wife, Melanie; sisters, Kat Morrell and Deborah Rose; and many relatives, friends and colleagues.

ROSE — A celebration of life for William “Bill” Rose, who died Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, will be held Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, at Eternal Hills Memorial Park, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside, Calif.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Bill Rose Slippery Rock University Scholarship for Distance Runners. Checks payable to SRU Foundation with “Bill Rose Scholarship for Distance Runners” in the memo section and sent to Slippery Rock University, SRU Foundation, 104 Maltby Ave., Suite 202, Slippery Rock, PA 16057.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.