James Louis Rouse, 96, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in the early hours of the morning. He was born on April 11, 1929, in Chicago, IL, the son of Louis C. and Mae J. (Grant) Rouse. He married the love of his life, Dolores C. (Kennedy) Rouse on May 1, 1954, in Chicago, IL, where they remained married for 57 years until her passing on November 18, 2012.

Growing up in Chicago, he attended St. Ignatius College Prep where he graduated in 1947. He enjoyed sharing that he had a famous classmate, Bob Newhart. James later attended Loyola University. He joined the U.S. Navy, which would lead him to meet his future wife, Dolores, at a U.S.O. event while he was still in basic training at Great Lakes Naval Base. The highlight of his Navy career was when he visited the Pope in Rome.

He remained in the Chicago area as a district traffic manager with Dow Chemical Company until 1963, when he relocated to their facilities in Midland, Michigan. He remained in Midland until he moved back to Rockford in 2013.

Outside of his career, he was a man of faith and remained an avid parishioner at St. Mary Roman Catholic Oratory. He loved to play golf, bowl on the Dow Chemical bowling league, and swim. He was amazing with numbers, leading to an interest in investments in his later years.

He is survived by his children, Martin J. Rouse, Thomas L. Rouse, and Mary Jensen; his grandsons, Patrick Jensen and Brendan Jensen; and his many nieces and nephews. He is preceded by his wife, Dolores Rouse; his sister, Mary Claire; and his son-in-law, Richard Jensen.

A visitation will take place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., with a short prayer service at 6:45 p.m., at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford, IL, 61108. Another visitation will take place the following day, Thursday, April 9, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. until the time of Funeral Mass at 12:00 p.m. at St. Mary Roman Catholic Oratory, 517 Elm St, Rockford, IL 61102. Burial to follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery where military honors will take place. To share memories and condolences online, please visit, www.fitzgeraldfh.com.