Grandma... [WATCH OUT] Spunky, outragious, full of life and the most loving person I have ever known. Making us laugh with her one liners and expressions. As kids we used to love when my mom used to bring us to Bloomingdales to see Grandma working as a sales woman, I really couldn't see her taking too much cuff from customers. Sleeping over grandma's house was always a treat.

   The woman was a fond lover of Capt. Crunch cereal and peanut butter and bacon on toast, not to mention, would never say no to ice cream. We all loved grandma, and even to this day when I think of her, a smile comes to my face for all the years she made us laugh. These are just some of my memories I have of them and will not ever forget.

Adua (Cookie) Martucci-Rose - Since I was the last to join the Rose/Theis family, unfortunately I didn't get to know Sam. I wish I had tho. From what I've heard, he must have been a very special man.

As for Helen, she was more of a friend to me than a mother-in-law. One of my most vivid memories of her is how she, very patiently, helped me prepare my very first Thanksgiving Day turkey. She made it seem so easy and we had so much fun preparing that meal, that to this day, Thanksgiving remains to be my favorite holiday. However, through the years, I have learned that meal is not as easy to prepare as Helen made it seem.

Helen always looked so nice too. Her nails were manicured and her hair was always in place. She was also somewhat fashion conscious. I remember when colored dress shirts first came out she bought one for Bob. When he seemed alittle reluctant to wear it she called him an "ole bag" and said, "it's the fashion"! These memories and research are a wonderful tribute to the memory of Sam and Helen Rose.

Maurie Temple - Oddly, the first thing that came into my head as to a memory of Sam was the very end of his life. As a man filled with energy, he probably would have been pleased by the way he left the world. No lingering illness; no slow decline. He was on the way home from WORK and was stricken quickly at the bus stop in Queens. We thought he was 79 years old; your research showed differently. If memory serves, he was working at Wallach's - a prestigious men's clothing store. Knowing him as I did, I have no doubt that he was a superb employee--- to the end.

Robert J. Rose Sr. - Helen Rose was the most caring person I've ever known. She had nothing but love for her children and all thirteen grand children. As a mother she was the very best!!!

   Sam Rose was a hard worker who also was a very caring family man. Sam was always there in need. He also was very proud of his family.

Susan V. Rose - At age 5, I can remember living upstairs in Grandma and Grandpa's (Helen and Sam Rose) house in Cambria Heights, NY. I would tiptoe downstairs very early in the morning and could hear them both snoring - of course, never at the same time! Sometimes, I would go down to the bathroom, which was in the basement, and watch Grandpa shave and share some quiet time with him. We would talk and his voice was a little bit husky but always very kind. Then we would go upstairs and have breakfast. I always thought that it was very funny when he would mix several cereals in the same bowl!

   Often when I came home from playing on a summer evening, he would be sitting outside on the front stoop. I'd sit on his knee and he would talk to me or tell me stories. I was twelve years old when he passed on and have many memories of time with him.

   Grandma was so protective of children. Many a time she saved me from spankings which were probably well-deserved! She had a beautiful garden of roses in the back yard and was very proud of them!

   I remember Grandma as a very strong individual. She had to be - raising all those children!! She was also very loving to all her grandchildren. In her later years, she even had lots of TLC left for my sons, J.J. and Chris, who remember her fondly.

   I remember how she wrapped up all the garbage so carefully and even tied it with string! I could never figure out why her garbage was wrapped like a present! She was a great cook and I remember her leaning over the stove basting a roast for Sunday dinner which she served with roasted potatoes and carrots. The house smelled so good!

   I remember a family trip to an Indian reservation in Florida when an Indian surprised her by wrapping a snake around her neck while my father, Stan, took a picture. We thought she was laughing but finally realized that she was screaming "Get it off of me!!"

   I learned a lot from my grandparents and visit them often in my heart and thoughts and prayers.

Cynthia Holly Rose-Wood - I regret to say that I have limited memories of my Grandmother Helen in comparison to those who have already responded. I do recall her having a strong love for family, and enjoyed family get togethers.

As a child, before my teen years, I remember visiting her and her close friend, "Aunt Marge" in a mobile home park in Sarasota, Florida. I remember at a family Halloween party, she came dressed up as a "flapper". Regretfully, I was about three years old when my Grandfather Sam passed away and have no memories of him. But through my father, Stan Rose and other family members, I have wonderful stories of both of them that I will cherish and pass along to my children.

Stanley Martin Rose - Yes, I too can recall many, many moments of laughter and joy shared with both Sam and Helen Rose. Each and everyday I view their smiling faces, for in my office is a glossy 8x10 photograph of them sitting on their couch in Cambria Heights, Queens. Above their photograph is a framed Star of David and a Framed Cross with Jesus Christ symbolizing to me true peace, love and harmony between two people, one of Hebrew Faith and one a devout Catholic. Perhaps the world could take a lesson from Sam and Helen who knew no bigotry but only true mutual respect for their fellow man.

As parents, Sam and Helen never imposed their religious will on any of their children but left it to each of us to choose. I can remember on occasions going to shul with my father, yarmulke and all. But then I would also go to the Catholic Church with my best friend, Tommy Phillips. "If confused", said Sam, "Look to God, for there is only one".

Yes, Sam and Helen are two very special people and as for me, I am so grateful to have been born their son.

Eleanore Doris Bell-Rose - I came to know Helen Rose through my husband, Stan. His father passed away prior to that. I found Helen to be a very outgoing, caring and loving person.

I remember when I suffered a severe leg injury in a boat accident and was laid up for nearly a year. To use the word "caring" in describing Helen would be an understatement for she just couldn't do enough to comfort me and help to ease my pain.

After that she became more my friend, more so than my mother-in-law. We shopped together in Helen's favorite store, K-Mart. She was a party person and was always ready to be on the go. Time has a way of turning things around so when Helen became afflicted with Alzheimer's I knew paybacks were here, for now it was my turn to care for her. And you know what...I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Marie Rose-Bracco - I can remember having a wonderful childhood and a very happy family life. My mother (Helen Theis-Rose) was a stay-at-home mom, and was always there for us. Our home was "open house" for all and she was always a part of the friends my brothers and I had. Everyone loved her.

My father (Sam Rose) worked long days but Sundays were "family day". We would all pile into the car and take long drives, very often winding up in Connecticut. I don't know what the facination for Connecticut was, but it was a nice place to go. Supper at our house Sunday nights was usually waffles and sausages or waffles and ice cream.

In my grown-up years my mother and I did so many nice things together. When we, my husband Mike and I had our family and our own home, my parents came over almost every Sunday for dinner. We lived closest to them. They loved all their grandchildren and loved to be with them.

My parents were "the best". A day almost never goes by that I don't think of them. Wish they were here to see what a wonderful family we have - they would be proud of us.

Albert (Bert) Rose - What can I remember about my mother and father (Sam and Helen Rose)......Quite a bit, most are wonderful to remember.

I remember the Sundays we used to go to the Valencia Movie in Jamaica, L.I., Captain Blood, Mutiny on the Bounty, Errol Flynn and all those sword weilding wonders, I don't remember how old I was, but I remember those days.

I remember Dad's Sunday car sales, we never knew what would be parked in front of the house, a Caddy, a Lasalle, color of the car, green, black, who knew. It was something to see my dad in action, giving his sales pitch.

Then there were the houses in Upstate New York, Hurlyville area, Liberty, mostly outside the area called "The Jewish Alps".

Then there was mother....marching us to the barber right after school ended, I was nine, ten, eleven...The barber was just off of 111th Ave., just off Leffarts Blvd. The hair cuts were crew, minus hair, almost baldies, all three of us. Somewhere I have a picture of us. That was our summer cut, as we went away most summers.

When I was young I really did not know my father that well, as he worked from early morning and arrived home mostly after we were in bed. I really got to know him and appreciate him after I went into the Army. I would receive a letter from him atleast every other week, while I was overseas. Strange way to get to realize how much I missed knowing him in those earlier years.

While still living with mom and dad in Cambria Heights, before getting married, sitting on the stoop with mom, waiting for dad to come home, here it was hot and muggy and this gentleman would come walking down the block, tie on, neat as a pin, with a bounce in his step.

My mother Helen was a "mean lean ice cream eating machine"


Sister Elizabeth Michaels(Jeanette Michaels) - "My father (Fred Michaels) was definately the extrovert of the family, he called my mother (Elizabeth Theis-Michaels) "His Straight Man". My mother was very quiet and gentle, but was an amazingly strong woman".

Valentine Howard Theis (Memories sent by Valentine's daughter Ceil Theis-Ruffo) - Valentine remembers his grandfather (George Theis Sr.) living with him in New Jersey as a child, often taking him for long walks to the bank or other errands and then later stopping for ice cream. George used to say Valentine, "Come mit me kinder" (kinder meaning child")

Kathy Rose-Kelly - My name is Kathy Kelly and I am the oldest of Mary & Bert Rose's four children. One of the fondest memories I have of Grandpa(Sam Rose) is going to their house for Sunday dinner. We would often be there with Aunt Marie & Uncle Mike and my 2 cousins, Michael & Russell. We would be playing downstairs in the basement and Grandpa would appear with a white bakery bag inside of which were 3 black & white cookies. One for each of us. Another thing I remember about Grandpa was flannel shits, they were always soft and when I sat on Grandpa's lap you would just cuddle right in.

As far as Grandma (Helen Theis-Rose) was concerned I also remember going to visit her at Bloomingdales and she would let me try on the tiara from the jewelry case. I remember the day of my wedding, Grandma was all dressed up and looked beautiful, a very classy lady and if you look closely at my wedding pictures you can see she decided to forego the stocking and went for knee-hi's instead!

I guess what I remember most is as feeling that when you were around both of them you always felt wanted and loved. There is no finer legacy to pass on to your family than that.

Bill Rose - Some of my earliest memories of Grandma (Helen Theis-Rose) were traveling to her apartment (in Queens I think) on Sundays to visit with her and Marge. I also remember her red Pontiac Grand Prix that Marge would drive. Grandma always had a way of looking at you and make you smile.

One of my best times with Grandma was when I spent the summer with Uncle Stan working @ Mary Lu (Remember Uncle Stan, the summer I drove the tractor into the river). We took a trip to Orlando to visit the parks, one night we went to Lake Buenivista for dinner (the Riverboat restaurant) I was maybe 15 yrs old. We had a long wait for a table and were waiting @ the bar, Grandma kept on ordering cocktails and sneaking them to me. Finally the bar tender caught Grandma out of the corner of his eye and told Grandma that she could not do that. Grandma looked at him and said OK and then proceeded to had me her next drink, that did not go over very well. Grandma always would give you that look, the smirk and then smile and you knew all was OK.

I spent many wonderful summers in Paradise Bay trailer park and I was lucky to spend them with Grandma Rose, Marge and Grandma & Grandpa Hansen. All very happy memories I will always keep and share with my kids and grandkids.

Ellen Rose-Fernandes - I am the 2nd daughter of Bert & Mary Rose. My name is Ellen (Rose) Fernandes. My earliest memories are of grandma as I don't really remember grandpa at all (and of course, wish I did). I remember going to grandma's house (the Tudor one), her big back yard with hydrangea & rose bushes.

I remember how clean & neat the whole house always was. I remember Aunt Cookie & Uncle Bob living upstairs too. I remember always playing in grandma’s basement (there really wasn't much to it though). Then I remember when grandma lived in her apartment, it was so luxurious to me. I remember once dad took Nancy & I in for a visit and on the way home stopped at "White Castle" for hamburgers and decided then I really didn't like them. I remember grandma having boxes & boxes of stockings and stocking bags too.

When Grandma moved to Bradenton, FL. across the street from my other grandparents, I remember her 3-wheeled English racer bike and how that was the most fought over bike to ride (it was so cool) and when I spent a summer there with both my grandmas I remember every day like clockwork, grandma & I cook a steak, potato and watch "The Big Valley".

but mostly I remember a strong, independent, wonderful, funny & wise woman who loved her children and her grandchildren. She had just the right arms to wrap around you & hold you real tight. Her smile and laugh, her silk stockings and she was so classy too. Yes, this is the Grandma Rose I remember and miss.