4800 E Indian School Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85018
ROSE, STEVEN L.
Steven L. Rose “S.L.”, 92 of Paradise Valley, Arizona passed away on November 26, 2016. He was born August 31, 1924 in Alhambra, California to Leonard Medley Rose and Mary Wysong Rose.
Steven was raised in Mazatlan, Mexico with his brother Dick and sister Jane (both deceased) until he was eight years old, when the family moved to Monrovia, California. In 1934, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona where he attended Sam Hughes Grammar School. He then went on to attend the Gulf Coast Military Academy in Gulfport, Mississippi while the family moved to Guatemala where his father was Vice President of the International Railways of Central America. Most vacation time from school was spent in Guatemala City, San Salvador and other travels throughout Central America. In 1939, the family moved to San Marino, California where he graduated from South Pasadena-San Marino High School. During his high school years, he played football and was an all C.I.F. baseball player.
In 1943 he was inducted into the Army and was with the 4th Infantry Division in the Normandy landing at Utah Beach. He fought in all of the major campaigns in Europe including the Battle of Cherbourg, the Falaise Gap, the Hurtgen Forest, Battle of the Bulge, Rhine Crossing at Mannheim and finished in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia. He was awarded two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars with V clasp for Valor, three Purple Hearts, the French Cross of War and a medal from Luxembourg and several other awards.
After the war, he attended and graduated from the University of Southern California with honors in 1949. While attending USC, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.
Upon graduation from USC, he went to work for the Casey and Case Foundation Company in Los Angeles, California. He opened the company offices in Chicago, Illinois and later returned to Los Angeles where he became President of Calweld, a division that manufactures drilling, tunneling, and offshore oil equipment.
During his period at Calweld, he was instrumental in the forming of the City of Commerce, was a member of the California Arts Commission, the California Water Board and a member of the Young Presidents Organization.
It was during that same period that he founded the Caisson Corporation of Chicago, Illinois and the Atlantic Drilling Company of Bethesda, Maryland.
When Calweld was sold to Smith International, Steven became Vice President of construction and mining. He also served on the Board of Directors of Smith International and Norris Oil Company.
During the Nixon Administration, Steven was asked to join the Advisory Board of the National Park Service. First, as Chairman of the natural areas and concessions committees and then he served for two years as President of the Board.
In 1964 Steven purchased the Biltmore Art Gallery in the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The Biltmore Gallery was found in 1924 by Charlie Russell, Frank Tenney Johnson and six other Western artists. In 1984, the Biltmore Gallery was moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where it remained the oldest exclusively Western art gallery until Steven’s retirement in 2010. Even after his retirement, Steven was still considered the leading authority on Western art.
Steven was a lifelong adventurer and avid hunter with many Boone and Crocket Club trophies. He is the only person to take the Grand Slam in Bighorn Sheep in a twelve-month period with all four sheep in the Boone and Crocket record book.
He was a member of the Johnathan Club, Los Angeles, California, Rancheros Vistadores, Santa Barbara, California, Adventures Club, Los Angeles, California and proudly the founder and President of the Charlie Russell Riders, Bigfork, Montana, a riding and philanthropic organization.
Steven is survived by his wife Janet, daughter Katharine (Allan) Parigian of Ojai, California, his son Kirke of Phoenix, Arizona and several nieces and nephews.
Services are private. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Charlie Russell Riders Foundation, P.O. Box 1284 Bigfork, Montana 59911.
Arrangements entrusted to Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home in Phoenix, Arizona.
We are terribly sorry to hear the news of Steve’s death. Please accept our sincere condolences.
– Thomas, Moncia & Jordan LaRocca
My Father Earl Berro owned Robinsons Flowers in the Biltmore Hotel. As a kid I met Steve a few times and he was always great. I also heard the hunting stores. My father passed away in 2014, but he always considered Steve a great friend. Sorry to hear of his passing.