Larry Rose

Latest Update 3/12/12: My wife and I will be serving in the Portugal Lisbon Mission until July 2014.

Wow, 45 years! After a year at the U of U (mostly spent skiing and not studying) I joined the 328th General Hospital and did my 4 months of basic training in Missouri in the Army Reserve. I returned home and served a mission to Venezuela from 1971 to 1973. In 1973 I met and married Paula Thompson from St. George. We have been happily married ever since. I continued my schooling at the U where I recieved my BA. I then rebelled and received my M.Ed. at BYU. I love driving my children nuts as I switch allegiance depending on whether it is BYU football or Utah basketball, although last year I couldn't help flip-flopping to Utah football!

My career has been varied. I started out teaching Seminary in Murray, then Magna and Kearns. Part-time I started a couple of small business ventures and simultaneously went on to teach Institute at the U of U. Through a variety of coincidences and some great mentoring, other business opportunities fell into my lap. Being an A-type personality and not being able to settle down I have been in the business of business entrepreneurship ever since: angel investing, acquisition and funding, restructuring, monitoring and (hopefully) successful exit strategies. The businesses have been headquartered here in Utah, but have taken me throughout the US, into Canada, and overseas to Europe. My home, however, has always been here in Utah. I have had wonderful partners and associates and have worked with and mentored scores of entrepreneurs. I still find my greatest joy in teaching and mentoring, although the venue has changed from the earlier years. One day, if I ever succeed, I might even retire!

In 1991 I was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, a disease which, because of its terminal nature, has modified my life. Without going into detail it has brought a lot of pain and difficulty, but has also brought perspective, empathy and a determination to be grateful for all that I have been given. I am grateful for good friends (some from Granite High), a wonderful partner and wife, 5 good children along with good spouses, and 12 fun grandchildren who get to go home with their parents! I am grateful for the faith that my parents taught me and for the role that religion and the Savior have played in my life. I have had the opportunity to serve in a variety of LDS church callings on ward, stake and area levels. The joys of my life come from family, friends, and service.

Despite the crippling effect of scleroderma I have found ways to modify some things and still enjoy my passions. I play tennis. I snowmobile. I waterski and enjoy boating on Lake Powell, Flaming Gorge and Bear Lake. I have become an avid fly-fisherman, going after the local High Uintah trout as well as those in Island Park where we have a second home. I am unable to resist the temptations to fish wherever and whenever invited. Please notice that I said I was "avid", not necessarily successful! I just love being in the outdoors and finding the streams and the holes that (seemingly) nobody else has found.

Life for me has been full and good. I have enjoyed the good times and mourned the sad and the difficult times. They both seem to come around to all of us and they bring fulness to life.

I look forward to renewing old friendships from Granite High. I have been amazed by the profiles that I have read and I know of others that are amazing as well, that are unwritten. What a wonderful group of people I have grown up with. Wow, 40 years!

I must have been pretty boring in school!