Farewell, Rosie

TWIT and I are very sad to say goodbye to our sweet little neighbor, Rosie.  Rosie passed away on Monday at the age of 96 and a half.  I guess it wasn't coincidental that I paid tribute to her husband, Uncle Clancy, in TWIT a few days ago.  She lived in the middle house at The Compound.

The pastor that conducted her funeral today hadn't known her for very long - just a couple of years, but when he used one word to describe Rosie, he said "devoted", and that she was. She was first and foremost devoted to the Lord and her church.  She taught Sunday School for over thirty years. And I had the priviledge of sitting next to her in the choir loft in the alto section. She worked in the day care at our church for over twenty years in the infant department.  There's no telling how many babies she rocked in her lap while she worked there.  She was devoted to her family and friends, but when I think of Rosie and the word "devoted" only one thing comes to mind: when she and Uncle Clancy would go somewhere in his old white pickup truck, she wouldn't be sitting in the passenger seat; she would be sitting right next to Uncle Clancy. 

Rosie also loved to cook and bake.  She used to bake lemon squares and send a plate over to us every time she made them.  And she loved to camp and fish.  Some of my fondest memories growing up are of going to Canada with her and Uncle Clancy and going camping and fishing with them.

As we pulled into the driveway this morning after the funeral, I sat in the car for a minute before putting in the garage, just looking over at Rosie's house.  Things will never be the same here in The Compound.  But I think she and Uncle Clancy just might be riding around the streets of gold up in heaven in their old Mustang.