Rose Ward

January 9, 1929 - July 27, 2026

Rose Ward entered the Kingdom of Heaven on July 27th. She passed peacefully at home surrounded by her family. Born Vartoni Torosian on January 9,1929, she was raised in Racine, Wisconsin. She was one of eight children born to Manam and Azar Torosian, Armenian Christians who made their lives in the United States after fleeing the Armenian genocide.

They were a large family in a small home that was filled with love and laughter.

Rose was the first of her family to go to college, attending nursing school in Chicago where she met a handsome young medical student from Idaho named Bruce Ward. They married six months later and eventually moved to Grand Junction, Colorado and raised a family. 

In Grand Junction, she worked as a nurse for many years at St. Mary's Hospital. She also enjoyed Saturday Nighters, book club, and her long-time bridge group. She was an active member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church whose parishioners welcomed her and her husband and provided a spiritual home for her family.

Rose's enjoyment in her family was evident in her tireless work to create a beautiful home and life for those she loved. She was an avid gardener, an accomplished cook and a gracious host. Her family remembers her not only as a devoted mother, but as a true comedian. She. brought levity to any situation, always making a silly face at the dinner table or poking light-hearted fun. She laughed with abandon. She loved her grandchildren, played a mean game of Go Fish, and made the best mac and cheese.

Rose believed strongly in education and, a prolific reader herself, encouraged her children to buy as many books as they wanted from the scholastic book-order form. She taught her children and grandchildren to study diligently, urging them to take advantage of every educational opportunity.

Rose loved to sing and dance and noticed beauty at every turn. She taught us all to appreciate a good piece of bread, a pretty flower, or a fresh cup of coffee. May we all remember Rose when these simple blessings come our way.

Rose is survived by her three children, Karen, Mimi (Brad), Bruce (Christy), her grandchildren Wilson, Whitaker, Nola Rose, Carver, Raglan and Levi, and her siblings Nora Soens, George Torosian and Alice O'Brien.

Services will be held at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 3585 N 12 th St. in Grand Junction, with a Trisagion service on Monday, August 17 at 6pm (viewing starting at 5pm) and the Funeral Service on Tuesday, August 18 at 10am.

May her memory be eternal.