School Board's Rose recovering
COLUMBIA — Columbia School Board member and veterinarian Tom Rose was recovering Thursday after a heart attack Wednesday evening.
“He was by himself when it happened,” said Karla DeSpain, board president. “He drove himself to the hospital and they did emergency surgery.”
DeSpain said that when she spoke to the family Thursday morning, Rose was doing fine. In a news release from the Columbia Public School District, the Rose family requested that their privacy be respected. There was no update late Thursday afternoon on how he is doing.
Rose, a small-animal veterinarian who owns Rolling Hills Veterinary Hospital, was appointed to the board in June 2007. He is a candidate for the school board in the April 8 election.
At the board meeting Monday evening, Rose spoke about issues of trust among the board, the media and the public.
“Let us strive to put into place best practices and remain aware of the trust we must preserve,” he said, “so that we can show the rest of the state and the nation that in Columbia, Missouri, we have a community dedicated to the task of providing quality education so that all of our children have a chance to succeed and all of our community can benefit from that success.”
Rose, 45, is an active community member, serving on the boards of First Chance for Children and the Community Nursery School. He is also a longtime mentor, working through the Newman Center, Mill Creek Elementary School and the mentorship organization Stand by Me.