As a child, Rose Protextor grew up with two older siblings on a farm outside North Bend, Nebraska, milked cows twice a day and walked a mile and a half to school. It was her determination to excel in school that set her path in life and opened up the world.

In her early years, her family’s home lacked running water and relied on a windmill for power.  Her father was unsuited for farm work, and her parents divorced when Rose was 3 years old. Afterwards, Rose’s mother ran the farm, raising pigs, ducks, geese, chickens, cattle and milk cows as well as a vegetable garden. The family sold eggs and fresh milk and made limited trips to town in their Model A car. 

Rose attended a small country school that enrolled 30 children in grades 1 through 8. Rose learned to sew at a young age and the fabric most available for dresses was floral-printed feed sacks, which others easily identified. It was common for children to come to school wearing overalls and carrying their shoes. Rose attended high school in a nearby town and worked hard to score at the top of her class so she could have the opportunity to get off the farm. 

Occasionally, Rose would spend weekends in town at her aunt’s home, and she attended the First Presbyterian Church in North Bend. Rose’s hard work paid off; she graduated at age 16 as the valedictorian, making her eligible for a state scholarship at Nebraska Teacher’s College. To earn money for school, Rose worked doggedly that summer detasseling corn and working as a secretary in a lumber yard; she left for school with $400 and optimism. 

In college, Rose majored in home economics and business, waitressed and worked for the Dean of Students. The Dean offered her the opportunity to graduate early so she could teach business in a high school, and Rose jumped at the chance. Later, when the Denver Public Schools visited the college campus, Rose interviewed and was hired.

In Denver, Rose and a friend found rooms in a house on 17th Avenue. Rose taught 7^th grade social studies and typing at Lake Junior High near Sloan’s Lake and she was also the guidance counselor. The next year, she shared the third floor of a big house near City Park with three other women. Having heard of Montview, she walked over and introduced herself to Office Manager Inez Stafford and joined the church on a letter of transfer. Rose volunteered to help the charismatic youth minister, Dede Harvey, who initiated Montview’s work trips. 

As it happened, Jerry Protextor lived on another floor of the big house where Rose was living, and the two of them met. Jerry had taught in California but was working for United Airlines.  After talking to Rose, he returned to teaching English and got an assignment at the newly built, Hill Junior High.

Rose and Jerry married in 1958, and both worked for Denver Public Schools. Jerry worked for 27 years teaching English at George Washington High School before taking a job at Cherry Creek High School. Over her 35-year career, Rose worked in Lake Junior High, West High School, Thomas Jefferson High School, and the Career Education Department at Montebello High School. 

At one time, DPS offered teachers one-year sabbaticals after 10 years of employment. Rose and Jerry meticulously planned a trip around the world. Their itinerary is remarkable, especially at a time when paper tickets were needed, in advance, for every flight. They began in Hawaii, then headed to Japan, Hong Kong, Burma, India, Thailand, East Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon and Israel, where they crossed the border on foot armed with a letter from Montview stating that they were Christians. Then it was on to Istanbul, Athens, Majorca, Madrid, Lisbon, a divided Berlin, Amsterdam and the UK. In London they bought a new VW Beetle, which they used to tour France, Italy, Monaco and Denmark, parking the car there temporarily while they toured Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm. Back on the continent, they picked up the car to see Paris, the French countryside and Le Havre, where they put their car on an ocean liner to return Stateside.

Arriving in New York City, they visited Boston, D.C., West Virginia, and the Midwest, where family members were uncertain if they would ever see their children again. Rose and Jerry arrived back in Denver on a Thursday. On Friday, they moved into their house, which had been rented out, and started back to work teaching that Monday morning.

Rose and Jerry raised two children, Laura and Michael. Michael lives in Denver. After Laura married, she and her husband moved to Seattle and welcomed three children into the family, then moved to Dresden, Germany. Rose and Jerry were married 50 years. He passed away in 2008. 

During Rose’s seven decades at Montview, she has volunteered tirelessly. She has served as a deacon, elder, office volunteer, chaired new member classes and outreach, organized the Companion Ministry Program and welcomed attendees to Sunday worship. She participated in the weekly Montview Hiking Group and the Quilt Group. Rose has enjoyed helping others, gardening, socializing with friends, playing bridge and volunteering for the Democratic Party.  She ushered at the Newman Center for 10 years. She enjoyed taking dozens of hiking trips abroad with Walking the World. For years, Rose traveled to Germany twice a year to see her daughter and family.

Rose moved to Clermont Living two years ago and stays active playing bridge twice a week, attending activities and lectures and keeping up with friends. She attributes her longevity to hard work, eating sensibly and staying active. When asked if there was any wisdom to impart, she shared without hesitation this quote by Winston Churchill, “If you think you’re going through hell, just keep on going.”

– Submitted by Brooke Durland