Rose was born to James Alonzo and Arminda Alice Hendricks Asay McGrath on October 15, 1904 in Richmond, Grant, New Mexico. She moved with her parents in 1912 to Putnam County, Florida where she lived the remainder of her life. She married Raymond Gornto on the 23rd of September 1923 in Florahome, Putnam county, Florida. They are the parents of five children. Rose died on February 16, 1999 in Palatka, Putnam county, Florida and is buried in the Paran Cemetery in Grandin.