Rose was born on April 14, 1916, on a homestead north of St. Paul, Alberta. As an artist, she was known professionally as Rose Leonard, portraying floral arrangements, scenery and wildlife with exceptional realism in all media. For her work, she had many awards and prizes from venues across Canada. She was most pleased with two local recognitions: One was a "Performing and Creative Arts Award" from the City of Edmonton; the other was a Y.W.C.A. "Tribute to Women Award".