Howard Vance Rose

Howard Vance Rose, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home on March 29th after a brief battle with cancer. Howard was born in Nashville, Tennessee on October 25, 1930 to Howard Vance Rose and Charlotte Jackson Rose. He graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth and attended TCU for two years before transferring to the University of Texas, where he completed his undergraduate degree and earned a JD in 1953, beginning a lifelong loyalty to the Longhorns. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity at the University.

It was at UT that he met Patsy Ann Patteson, his wife for 57 years, until she preceded him in death in June 2012.

After law school, Howard served as an officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps. He entered private practice at Stubbeman, McRae, Sealy & Laughlin in Midland. In 1962, Texas Governor-elect John B. Connally selected Howard to serve as his first Chief of Staff. In that role, he helped the Governor shape and secure passage of landmark legislation that advanced higher education in Texas. He returned to private practice at Stubbeman in 1964. The family moved to Austin in 1967 when Howard joined the law firm of Brown, Sparks & Erwin which later became Brown, Maroney, Rose, Baker & Barber. Howard practiced until his death. In 2000, the firm honored him by establishing the Howard Vance Rose, Jr. Endowed Presidential Scholarship at the UT School of Law.

Howard was active in community affairs. He served on the Texas Water Quality Board, American National Bank Board, Keep Austin Beautiful Board, University of Texas Foundation Board and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Southwest Texas Public Broadcast Council, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Capital of Texas Telecommunications Council (KLRU), President of Westwood Country Club, Deacon and Elder of Westminster Presbyterian Church and Kappa Sigma alumni advisor. He was honored as Kappa Sigma Man of the Year.

He is survived by his children Mandy Rose Delk and her husband Mitchell (Washington, DC), Vance Rose and his wife Kelly (Sonoma, CA) and Julie Rose (Washington, DC) and five grandchildren: Natalie, Luke and his wife, Jessica and Taylor Rose and Sayer and Rosie Delk and two great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 3201 Windsor Road, Austin.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be sent to The University of Texas School of Law for the Howard V. Rose, Jr. Endowed Presidential Scholarship, 727 East Dean Keeton, Austin, TX 78705 or to The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Endowment Fund, 3201 Windsor Road, Austin, TX 78703.