Pat Rose at an event last June
Former Chattanooga Mayor Charles A. "Pat" Rose died early Monday morning.
A native of Orlando, Fla., he began working as an assistant traffic engineer in Chattanooga in April 1964. In November 1965, he became city coordinator, an office he filled for four years. In January 1969, when vice-mayor and Commissioner of Public Works, A.L. “Chunk” Bender became mayor, Pat Rose was appointing acting Commissioner of Public Works.
In his first political race, he won a full term as commissioner in March 1971. As the city charter read at the time, the commissioner with the second most votes in the general election served as vice-mayor, so Mr.
Rose also served in that capacity as he served as Commissioner of Public Works.
Elected mayor in 1975, Pat Rose pushed for the redevelopment of the central business district. A successful first term allowed him to run for re-election without opposition in 1979. During his terms as mayor, the Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library opened, TVA offices expanded downtown. He also oversaw the expansion of the Moccasin Bend Waste Treatment plant and the extension of city sewers.
Mayor Rose pushed for and saw construction of the C.B. Robinson Bridge, offering citizens another way across the Tennessee River.
Upon retirement in 1983, Mayor Rose entered the private business world. However, in 1987, stating that he missed public service, the former mayor ran for and was elected as the Commissioner of Public Utilities. Mr. Rose served in that capacity until 1990 when a change in the city charter changed Chattanooga’s form of government from a City Commission to a City Council.
His wife, Carolyn Rose, had died Jan. 6. The couple had been married over 71 years.
Pat Rose is survived by children, June (Darryl) Penfold of Summerfield, FL, Rick (Sandra) Rose of Chattanooga, David (Joan) Rose of Chattanooga, and Tony Rose of Chattanooga as well as other relatives.
Funeral arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home.
Pat Rose family