Ellen Polen Rose

FUNERAL SERVICE: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 10:30 AM at Temple Kol Emeth.

LIVESTREAM: Please click here to attend the funeral service via livestream.

OBITUARY:
Ellen Betty Polen Rose, 82, of Marietta, Georgia, passed away on September 24, 2026. She was born on September 12, 1944, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Harry and Dora Polen.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from John Caroll University in Cleveland and a master’s degree in social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Her first career focused on social work. She worked for the Jewish Family and Children’s Services in St. Louis before opening a private practice in counseling.

She married Dennis Rose in 1982 and created a wonderful life with him and her three children. They shared nearly 44 years together. They relocated to Marietta in February 1987 and founded SpaceMakers Closets which they built and ran together until they sold the company and retired in 2008.

Ellen enjoyed being a part of the Jewish community and maintained a lifelong connection to Judaism. She was a member of Congregation Shaare Zedek while in St Louis and Temple Kol Emeth in Marietta. She made decades worth of seders – complete with chicken soup and matzah balls, brisket, and sponge cake. Her holiday cooking was a highlight for her beloved grandchildren. She also enjoyed watching pro-football, was a voracious reader, and loved snacking on chips.

Sadly, her retirement was cut short by early-onset dementia, and she spent over a decade experiencing a very long good-bye. Ellen loved sitting in the sun, listening to music, and smiling at anyone who said hello. The family is grateful to the caregivers who assisted with her care.

Ellen was predeceased by her parents, Harry and Dora, and her siblings, Tom Polen and Sally Schneeweis. She is survived by her husband, Dennis Rose; her three children, Doug Roseman (Lori), Rachel Barich, and Sheryl Grafstein (Lisa); her five grandchildren, Shifra Afik, Micah Barich, Aiden Erez, Naama Erez, and Ariella Roseman; and her two great granddaughters, Kairi and Juno.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations in Ellen's memory be made to the Alzheimer's Association.