Willard "Will" Rose

Willard "Will" Rose, 78, of Cincinnati, Ohio, passed away on August 8, 2026.

Will was born in Lee City, Kentucky, to Everett and Christine (Smith) Rose, who preceded him in death. One of ten children, Will went on to build a life defined by hard work, determination, generosity and an unwavering devotion to his family.

He graduated from Cincinnati State in 1969 with an associate degree and began his career at WLWT Channel 5 as an elevator operator. It was an unassuming start to what would become an extraordinary career in advertising and, in true Will fashion, he didn't stay in that elevator for long. After being promoted to personal driver for the station's CEO, Will used one of their drives to convince him to give him a chance in advertising sales, a position typically reserved for those with four year degrees.

It turned out Will didn't need the extra two years.

He thrived in media and advertising sales, building a successful career with major advertising agencies before the entrepreneurial bug took hold. Will went on to found Group 1 Advertising in Cincinnati, building the agency from the ground up and serving as its President and CEO for more than 35 years.

Will was a brilliant and savvy businessman, a fierce negotiator, and someone who seemed to always get his way. He was a mentor and problem solver, with a remarkable ability to cut through the noise, make sense of a situation and offer exactly the advice someone needed to hear.

To his family, he was simply their rock. Strong, steady and famously stubborn, Will was also extraordinarily kind, generous and loving.

Will loved music and played guitar. He also had a passion for photography and was always the person behind the camera, capturing thousands of photographs and videos over the years. Because of him, countless ordinary moments, celebrations and milestones were preserved. Those images and videos are now an incredible gift to his family, a lifetime of memories captured through Will's eyes.

He was also, unapologetically, a creature of habit. Those who loved him knew that once Will had decided how something should be done, there was generally little reason to discuss doing it another way.

Above every accomplishment, Will's greatest pride was his family. He is survived by Tara (McKiernan) Rose, his beloved wife of 44 years, with whom he built a life and family in Cincinnati; his children, Kim Lane and her husband, Terry Lane, Kelly Stewart, Leslee Rose, and Cody Rose and his fiancée, Beatriz Rodriguez; and his six grandchildren, Brendan Rose, Jake and Hannah Lane, Leo and Max Marzullo, and Graham Brown. He is also survived by his extended family, dear friends, colleagues, and the many people whose lives were made better by knowing him.

Will built a business. He built a family. He built a life defined by hard work, generosity, creativity and an unwavering devotion to the people he loved.

And while the man who spent so much of his life behind the camera is no longer here to capture the next moment, he leaves behind thousands of them, and a family who will carry his strength, his wisdom, his laugh and his love with them always.

Visitation and Funeral Services

Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at Crossroads Church in Oakley in the Chapel (3500 Madison Rd, Oakley). Funeral services will begin at 4:00 p.m.