Howard Wells Rosser's Obituary
Howard Wells Rosser, 79, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, died at home on Thursday, April 5, 2007, of a massive heart attack.
Rosser was born March 18, 1928 in Kildare, Texas to the late Jewel Savannah and Fred Wells Rosser. Howard graduated in 1946 from Kildare High School. Rosser was a veteran of the U. S. Marine Corps, attended Stephen F. Austin University, and was a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. On November 11, 1951, Howard was united in marriage to his sweetheart and partner in business, Kathryn Bewley in DeKalb, Texas. They would have celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary this November. They moved to Longview in 1963 with daughters Belinda and Leslie,
Rosser got his start in tourism while managing editor and part owner of The Winnsboro Texas News. During this time he originated The Winnsboro Autumn Trails Tours and Folk Festival, which celebrates its 49th anniversary this year. Rosser was President of Howard W. Rosser Communications Inc., and Executive Director of East Texas Tourism Association, which this year celebrates its forty-fourth anniversary. Rosser had just published the 44th Annual East Texas Vacation Guide, a model publication in the tourism industry. The East Texas Tourism Association is a private enterprise program, originated by Rosser in 1963 as a self-supporting division of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce ETCC.
In the first 25 years it became the largest chamber of commerce tourism division in America. Through the annual East Texas Vacation Guide, a separate Fun Map, and an East Texas Group Tour Manual, it promoted the region?s East Texas Heritage Trail, Texas? first, and was on the leading edge with its group tour program. It spread the news of East Texas in travel shows across America. He also became executive editor of The East Texas Magazine and edited a 214-page book on The First 50 Years of ETCC. In 1978 the East Texas Chamber presented Rosser an award ?For 15 years of dedicated service as founder, innovator and continuing leader of the most unique and productive tourist promotion program in the nation.?
The tourism division was sold to him and his wife, Kathryn, in 1987 when ETCC merged with the South Texas and West Texas Chambers to form the Texas Chamber of Commerce, in Austin, and closed their Longview office. The Rosser?s created the East Texas Tourism Association ETTA and in 2003 celebrated its 40th anniversary in Longview.
ETTA is built around the voluntary, cooperative efforts of more than 200 cities, attractions and businesses in a 74-county region of East Texas and nine parishes in western Louisiana. Gateway cities to the region are Dallas, Houston and Shreveport. Through ETTA, this region is tied together by its Heritage Trail. Trail hosts combine through ETTA to publish and distribute nationally 300, 000 copies of the annual Vacation Guide and Fun Map. Rosser?s website, www.easttexasguide.com, is dominant whenever search engines bring up East Texas. ETTA conducts seven-day, six-night familiarization tours with a marketplace for group tour planners across America. It has been involved in group tour promotion since 1982, and with its supporters hosted the National Tour Association?s registration refreshment function for 19 years. In 1999 it was presented with the NTA Sponsor of the Year award.
For 20 years, Rosser?s ETTA has been promoting the highways and byways of the region through the Guide and web site, and four years ago launched a major drive to promote Historic US 80, from coast to coast with its own brochure. Last year it led a successful effort with the help of the American Legion to get the Texas Legislature?s approval for signs promoting US 80 as the World War II Memorial Highway across East Texas. In October they conducted the fourth Historic US 80 Hi-way Sale, a 375-mile event that stretches from Vicksburg, Mississippi to Dallas. They continue to work on other historic highways in East Texas. Rosser has represented the region on state tourism boards. He has spoken on tourism development to state travel summits in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The Tyler County Dogwood Festival Executive Director, Kim Shaw, named him as the 2006 ?Mr. East Texas?, the award is given to an East Texan who best exemplifies the spirit and quality of leadership which advances, shapes and gives direction to the growth the prosperity of East Texas. Shaw says Rosser was chosen for his devotion to promoting East Texas Tourism. He was presented the Paul Harris Fellow by the Longview-Greggton Rotary Club. He was also a director of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Renowned country music composer Cindy Walker wrote, recorded, and copyrighted a song, ?The Highway 80 Song? for Howard, patterned after ?Route 66?.
Rosser also received the Gene Phillips Hospitality Award by the Texas Travel Counselors in their appreciation for support of the Texas Travel Industry.
Rosser was considered a legend and a pioneer in the tourism industry. He loved East Texas and literally put the region on the map for visitors from all over the world. Some would say he invented regional tourism. Rosser and wife, Kathy, have been recognized by the Texas Governor?s Office several times for outstanding promotion of tourism in East Texas. His wife, Kathy, stood by him as secretary-treasurer of ETTA, and he always said she was his right hand in life and business. He was a man of integrity and strong christian values.
The Rosser's two daughters have been active in the business. Belinda of Sierra Vista, Arizona, was managing editor and reporter at Tucson and Phoenix TV affiliates. She holds master's degree in management, and helps ETTA with special projects, and recently followed in the steps of her father as Director of Sales and Marketing for Madden Preprint Media, a tourism business. Leslie of Longview, with radio background as Dawn on the Dark and Dawn Show from KYKS in Lufkin from 1982-87, and as chamber of commerce executive in Sealy, Texas Leslie enjoyed traveling with her father on many road trips across East Texas as ETTA's sales director for the past 16 years. Leslie thought her father was the King of Tourism in East Texas and the Best Daddy to her and her big sister Belinda.
Howard enjoyed family history, reunions, and music. Howard was known for his sweet and gentle disposition, great enthusiasm for life, kind heart, and generous love of family and friends. He was an excellent photographer, and often took the pictures that appeared on his website and in his publications. He and his wife, Kathy, enjoyed walking at their lake home at Holly Lake Ranch where they often entertained their grandchildren and children. They loved taking their grandkids to their favorite vacation spots, the YMCA Camp of the Rockies, and to Disneyworld in Orlando, FL. He loved his wife, Kathy?s good cooking, and Kathy was the love of his life. Howard was one of the most positive people you would ever meet. His faith in God was an inspiration to his family and others. In a time of few heroes, he was a hero to all who knew him. Uncle Buddy?s writings to family showed his true belief in the power of family through all times. Howard will be sorely missed by many, especially his loved ones.
He is preceded in death by his parents, sister, Jane Alice, and brother Houston Rosser.
Howard is survived by his wife, Kathryn; daughter Belinda Ann and son-in-law David Gunckel of Sierra Vista, AZ; daughter Leslie Kay Rosser of Longview; and two grandchildren, David Lewis Rosser Gunckel III and Kaitlyn Elizabeth Boyd. Sisters: Virginia Guernsey and husband Glen of Tyler, Wilna Gay Hollett and husband Marvin of Marshall, Linda Jo Adcox and husband Billy Ray of Sterlington, La., and Rosanne Hodges and husband Larry of Tyler; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Betty and Charles Pfiefer of Las Cruces, NM and Nolan and Kay Bewley of Wake Village, TX.
Funeral services for Mr. Rosser will be at 2pm Monday, April 9, 2007 at Greggton United Methodist Church, 1101 Pine Tree Rd,, with the Reverend Buist Wilson and Reverend Jay McCasland, officiating.
Visitation will be 6-8pm, Easter Sunday, April 8, at Rader Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be made to Kildare Cemetery Foundation.
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