Kirk Daniel Rose

Kirk Daniel Rose, 91, died Saturday, September 6, 2025, after a battle with prostate
cancer. Kirk was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 1, 1934, the son of Harold and
Eileen Rose. After graduating from Lapeer High School in Michigan, he joined the U.S.
Coast Guard in 1953. Kirk married Shirley G. Shepherd at Grace Episcopal Church in
Lapeer on August 4 th 1956, and celebrated 50 years of marriage until Shirley passed
away of cancer in Oshkosh, WI in 2006.

Kirk proudly served in the Coast Guard for 32 years. He was an Electronics Technician
and achieved the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 (ELC). During his career, he served at
many units across the world, including in Alaska, Bermuda, and Libya. He was
considered the Coast Guard’s expert on LORAN, a long-range navigation system that
served military, commercial, and recreational ships, boats, and aircraft through the 20 th
century. He served three tours as Commanding Officer of LORAN stations in Bermuda,
Seneca, NY, and Wilmington, NC. His highest military award was the Meritorious
Service Medal.

After retiring in 1984, he attended UNC Wilmington and graduated with a bachelors
degree in education. He learned to play the bagpipes while in his 40s, taught bagpipes
at a private music school and formed and led the Cape Fear Highlanders Boy Scout
Pipe Band. He spent many years in competitive bagpiping, winning many awards, and
later served as a convener and judge of the competitions.

Kirk was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Throughout his
life, he was an avid “techie,” from building his own color TV in the 1960s to becoming
the family’s computer expert and tech go-to guy. He was an unabashed fan and
stockholder of the Green Bay Packers. He loved helping people and went the extra mile
to give them a place to rest and recover when needed.

Kirk is survived by three daughters and their husbands, Heather and Ken Cranford of
Elmira, NY, Tami and Steve Goodwin of Oshkosh, WI, and Debbie and Wayne Hobgood
of Oxford, NC; nine grandchildren living in New York, Maryland, Texas, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, and North Carolina, 21 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild
born two days before his death. He is also survived by his brother, James H. Rose of
Vermont, and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents and three brothers.
 

Kirk was enormously proud of his family and was loved by us all.

Kirk’s life will be celebrated on Friday, October 10, 2025, at a memorial service at 9:30
am at First Presbyterian Church, The Reverand Lynn Rubier-Capron presiding, followed
by inurnment with his wife, Shirley, at Woodlawn National Cemetery in Elmira, NY.
Military honors will be rendered. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be
made to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance in his memory.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of The Thomas Cremation and Funeral Service, 1297 Elmira St., Sayre, Pa. 

Those wishing to leave a sympathy message for Kirk's family may do so at thomascremationfuneralservice.com

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