Warbird Information Exchange

WWII pilot, mayor served Irwin with devotion

By Tony Raap
Sunday, April 26, 2015, 11:09 p.m.


Irwin residents often joked that Dan Rose was mayor for life.

He served in that role for almost three decades and was re-elected in 2013 despite being well into his 90s.

“He was a masterful politician and cared greatly about the town,” his son, Dan C. Rose, said.

Daniel T. Rose of Irwin died Thursday, April 23, 2015, of heart failure. He was 94.

Voters elected him mayor in 1986, a post he held until his death. He served on the borough council for 10 years before becoming mayor. A park along Main Street is named for him.

“I promote Irwin,” he told the Trib in 2013. “That makes me happy — meeting the people.”

Mr. Rose was an insurance salesman. He enjoyed attending parades and other activities in Irwin, but he didn't have many hobbies.

“He was busy with the business of the people,” said Bob Wayman, council president. “He took his duties very seriously, particularly as his role as the figurehead of the borough.”

The two would ride together to council meetings, which Mr. Rose rarely missed.

“He modeled how a public servant should act,” Wayman said. “He always put other people first and himself second.”

Mr. Rose was born Jan. 17, 1921, in Hahntown, Westmoreland County, to Daniel and Mary Rose.

He served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He spent 11 months in a prisoner-of-war camp when his plane was shot down near Budapest, Hungary.

In a 2013 interview with the Trib, he recalled the harsh conditions he endured: cramped quarters, hunger, fear, bedbugs, having to use a bucket as a toilet.

He kept a journal during his imprisonment. In one entry, he listed foods he craved: chocolate, jelly beans, mixed nuts and salted peanuts.

Mr. Rose is survived by his son, Dan Rose of North Huntingdon, and his daughter, Suzanna Rose of Miami. He was preceded in death by his wife, Isabel Rose, and his sister, Betty Reiter.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in First United Methodist Church, 310 Oak St., Irwin, with the Rev. David S. Lake officiating.

The family asks that contributions be made to VFW Post 781, 100 Billot Ave., North Huntington PA 15642. William Snyder Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Tony Raap is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7827 or traap@tribweb.com.

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