Colleen L. Rose, MD, FAAP, 75, of Springfield, MO passed away Nov. 18, 2020.  She was born August 27, 1945 in Charleston, SC the daughter of Kathleen Francis-Rose and Oscar D. Rose.

Colleen received her Doctor of Medicine in 1975 from the Medical University of South Carolina.  She, then, completed her pediatrics residency in 1978 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  In 1986, she completed her neonatology fellowship at the University of Missouri Medical Center (Columbia).

Colleen's greatest joy was the work she did as a neonatologist at Cox Medical Center from 1987 to 2011. She touched the lives of many parents and newborns over her career.  Outside of work, Colleen loved to fly fish, study history and enjoyed reading mystery novels.

She served in the USPHS (United States Public Health Service) commissioned corps from 1979-1981. Colleen was an Army reserve medical officer from 1985-1995, when she retired as a lieutenant colonel. She founded Books for Babies in 2001, which is a non-profit organization to improve the health and development of babies and children in intensive care. The program encourages bonding between babies and their parents by providing each child with a new book that they can read at their bedside.

Colleen is preceded in death by her parents; and sister, Patricia Rose-Block.  She is survived by her dear friend of 40 years, Jerilyn Hurt, of Springfield, MO; nieces, Kristin Block, of San Jose, CA and Alison (Ernesto) Martinez; great-niece and nephew, Juliette and Alessandro, all of Alexandria, VA.

Due to COVID, for those not wishing to attend the visitation, you can stop by from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, and visitation will be from 3:00 to 5:00 PM, Sunday, December 6, 2020 in Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home.  Burial will be held at a later date at Carolina Memorial Gardens in Charleston, SC.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Books for Babies, 1338 E. Kingsley, Suite C, Springfield, MO or Humane Society of SW MO, 3161 W. Norton Rd., Springfield, MO 65803, or C.A.R.E. (Castaway Animal Rescue Effort), PO Box 215, Aurora, MO 65605, or Rescue One, 1927-B E. Bennett St., Springfield, MO 65804.