Dr. Rose S. LeRoux

Dr. Rose Stella LeRoux (née Panetta), 93, peacefully passed away on Monday, February 24, 2020 surrounded by her family. Rose was born to Leticia and Anthony Panetta on April 7, 1926 in Rochester, New York and remained in Rochester until the age of 40. She earned her nursing diploma at St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1947, her nursing degree from the University of Rochester in 1951, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester in 1965. She was a member of the National Honor Society in 1944, Sigma Theta Tau in 1967 and Zeta Phi Eta from 1975-1979.

In 1951, Rose married John Willis (“Jack”) LeRoux and began a family. She gave birth to sons; Paul in 1952, John in 1954, Dave in 1956, Tom in 1958; and was pregnant with her daughter, Kate, when Jack passed away in 1959 at the age of 33. In 1966 Rose was accepted into the Masters of Nursing program at the University of Colorado in Boulder, so she loaded up her five children into a blue Ford station wagon and headed to Colorado. After receiving her M.S. in 1967 she took a teaching position at the University of Colorado School of Nursing in Denver. Rose received her doctorate from the University of Denver in 1975.

Rose worked as an emergency room nurse and also taught nursing for many years. She was a Director of the Colorado Regional Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute; an occupational health instructor for National Jewish Center for immunology; and the creator of Regis College’s Masters in Nursing program. In 1994, she received a Nightingale Award from the CU School of Nursing. She was also a frequently published author in health care and nursing journals, publishing various articles and booklets on health issues, including a report on smoking cessation for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rose was an accomplished artist and received an Art Scholarship in 1944. She had a love for watercolor painting, was an avid photographer and a talented piano player.

With all of her academic and career accomplishments, the thing that was most important to Rose was her family. She was a devoted mother who sacrificed much to support her children both emotionally and financially after Jack’s death. She had a wonderful sense of humor but could also be a terrifying five-foot two presence if the kids got out of line. She took in more than a couple of runaways and her home was often the place where the neighborhood kids would hang out. She loved having friends and family over for dinner and was exceptionally proud of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Rose is survived by her children: Paul LeRoux and his wife Barbara, John LeRoux and his wife Ellie, Dave LeRoux, Thomas LeRoux and his wife Jenny, and Kate LeRoux; five grandchildren: Brooklyn Bratton, Tara Krieble, Sarah LeRoux, Matthew LeRoux, and Shelby McDaniel; and seven great-grandchildren: Lilia and Emerson Krieble, Chase and Ian Bratton, and Miles, Abigail and Adin McDaniel.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at Olinger Crown Hill,

Pavilion of Reflection. Burial will be at Fort Logan Cemetery Monday, March 16, at 2:30 pm