Rose Marie Wallace

Our beloved mother, Rose Marie Wallace, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 22, 1944. She was preceded in death by her loving parents, William Brown Sr., Rosie Lee Brown, and brother William Brown Junior.  She is survived by her beloved family: husband Ray Wallace, brother George Ray Brown Sr., aunt Vinnie Davis, daughter Taina Johnson, son Antonio (Mechelle) Watkins, daughter Thea (Fabio) Montano, son Amecco Watkins, stepdaughter Tiara Wallace, step son Marcus Wallace, 13 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, nephews, niece, cousins and friends.

 

Mom and her family moved to Baton Rouge Louisiana during the mid-1940s, where she later graduated at the top of her class in 1962 at McKinley high school.  After graduating from High School, she later marrired and moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1965 with her children and 1st husband Louis Watkins. Mom was born with a pioneer spirit and had a romantic view of life.  She was enthusiastic about the positive opportunities that life had to offer. She was not easily discouraged. She was up to the challenge of finding a new place to call home, that would enable she and my father  to provide a good life for their children.  At an early age, she was fearless and ready to take on the world. As a young woman, she dreamed of travelling to Paris and walking the runways of New York City as a model, but life steared her in another direction where she accepted one of the greatest honorary roles, motherhood, of which the Bible refers to as a blessing, ordained by God, full of hope, and worthy of honor. She accepted her role graciously and without remorse. 

 

Mom often referred to herself as a domestic engineer. Growing up in our home, we experienced Home and Garden TV everyday. Mom was innovative. It was not uncommon to see her on a tall ladder, walking on 2 by fours in the attic, or under the hood of a car. She could perform atypical home projects of the day that were traditionally done by men. She loved decorating the home, tinkering around with cars, electrical installation and repairs, travelling, gardening, and making her holiday traditional jimbalaya rice. She truly was a Jack of all trades . She would have a cosmetic bag on the right inside of her purse and tools for standby on the left side of her purse. 

 

As we became older children, Mom decided to go to Longview  College, where she completed secretarial training. Over the years, she worked for Farmers Insurance, Toretel,  IRS, Bendix, and became a school bus driver for the Grandview Scool district (where she met her second husband Ray Wallace). Mom and Ray married in 2005. Ray who has faithfully loved my mother through sickness and health. 

 

Mom had the wonderful gift of making people feel good about themselves. She had a wonderful way of promoting inner confidence in others. She had many layers. She was faithful to our Lord & Savior, gentle, loving, loyal, and humble. She always carried a smile with a heart that was always stretching to love and care for all. Mom never viewed life as time to spend in misery. She viewed life as a delicacy to be savored and enjoyed to its fullest. She would say, I don’t have clothes hanging up in my closest that I do not wear, clothes are meant to be worn, and not for display only, because tomorrow is not promised. 

 

Mom has given her children the greatest gift of all, the introduction to our Lord and Savior. Mom had long roots in the church.  As a child and young adult she was a member of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana . In Missouri, she  was a member of Longview United Methodist for many years, and after marrying Ray they were both members of St. James United Methodist Church. In her more mature years she attended Grace and Truth Church, where she had great admiration and confidence for Pastor Ray Stewart and  his mission. 

 

Her love for friends and family were always in a state of urgency. No assignment was ever too large for her. She would smile without complaint, and say let’s get to it. She was our universe, our calm during a storm, our earthly guardian angel, the love of our lives who has left an enormous imprint in the lives of all those whom she touched! She will be missed, never forgotten, and treasured beyond earthly means. Our dear sweet love who sacrificed her life for those she loved and adored, may you rest in peace!