Rose Thomas

Rose Darlene Gegor, born November 13, 1954, at Prince George's General Hospital, the eldest daughter of Andrew and Victoria Gegor, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026, at Silverado Memory Care from complications of dementia. She was 71.

Raised in Prince George's County alongside four brothers and two sisters, Rose enjoyed a lively, loving childhood. She graduated from Suitland High School in 1972 and earned a degree in secondary education, with a concentration in physical education, from Shepherd College in May 1976. An active and accomplished student, she was a member of Psi Beta Beta Sorority, named Sister of the Year in 1976, and crowned Shepherd's Homecoming Queen in 1975. It was during those college years that she met her future husband, Ed, and the two became inseparable.

Rose began her teaching career in the fall of 1976 as a physical education teacher and coach at LaReine High School, a private Catholic girls' school in Suitland. She organized the school's first volleyball team, which went undefeated in its inaugural season and won the Washington Catholic Girls' Private School Championship. After her mother's death when she was 23, she stepped into a matriarchal role for her younger siblings, offering them steady support, guidance, and unconditional love throughout their lives.

In June 1978, Rose married Ed and together they made their home in Frederick, where they raised their two sons, Kyle and Chase. In 1980, she founded Property Management People (PMP), building the company through charisma, intuition, and grit. A passionate and inspiring leader, she mentored others with generosity and confidence, helping them grow both personally and professionally. Rose became deeply involved in the National Association of Residential Property Managers, earning the industry's two highest designations, serving on the Board of Directors, and holding every officer position, including National President in 2006. Under her leadership, PMP became the first company in Maryland to earn the Certified Residential Management Company designation.

Proud of her Italian heritage, Rose cherished her maternal grandmother and relatives. After losing contact with her family in Puglia for more than 20 years, she joyfully reconnected with them in 2004 and treasured the trips that followed. A woman of deep Christian faith, she was an active member of St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, serving as a Eucharistic Minister, teaching CCD, and chaperoning teens to World Youth Day in 1997. An avid runner, she completed two marathons and many shorter races before embracing walking and hiking.

Rose is survived by her husband of 47 years, Ed, and their sons, Kyle and Chase. Kyle and his wife, Carey, have three children: Sophie, Ava, and Hunter. Chase and his wife, Taylor, have a daughter, Evelyn. She is also survived by her brothers Andy (Carolyn), Joe (Debra), and Sam, and her sisters Victoria (Glenn) and Cecilia (Keith). She was preceded in death by her brother Pete.