Rosa Lee Mallory Lewis

11/24/1928 – 09/26/2021

Obituary for Rosa Lee Mallory Lewis

Rosa Lee Mallory Lewis was born on November 24, 1928, the second of nine children of the late Louis Mallory Sr., and Caroline Long Mallory. She was born and educated in Talladega County, Alabama, graduating from Phyllis Wheatley High School in Childersburg. She accepted Jesus as her savior as a child, and united with Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church in Alpine.

Rosa Lee, known to her family and close friends as “Boots,” moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, after graduating high school, where she attended and graduated from Knoxville College in 1953. While in Knoxville, she united with Bethel A.M.E. Church, where she remained a faithful member throughout her life. She served as a Deaconess and as a member of Usher Board No. 1. She taught youth Sunday School classes and was an eager student in both Sunday School and Bible Study. She loved poetry and reading, and was a long-time member of the Church’s Holding Our Place book club. She served her church cheerfully, and it was her desire to live in such a way that young ladies in the church would want to model their lives after hers.

In the community, she was a member of the Garden Club, and was “Queen” of the Onyx RedHatters, holding the name Countess Rose. She was also an avid walker, walking daily as long as she could with her beloved cousin LaTanya Terrell-Upton.

In 1955, Rosa was united in matrimony with Charles Lewis, and together they had six children, teaching all of them to trust in God, and to live by The Golden Rule; always treat others as you would want others to treat you. She was a faithful wife, resolute mother, and a doting grandmother to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was “Grandmother” until her first granddaughter, Alicia began to talk, and then she became “Nana,” a name and role she cherished.

A diligent worker all her life, Rosa was a stay-at-home parent while her children were young, and then worked outside the home after her children were older. She was never comfortable in retirement, so she returned to work as a Foster Grandparent with the Knox County School System for almost 20 years until she was 90 years of age.

Rosa loved cooking and seeing her family and visitors to her home enjoy large meals, especially her peach cobbler. One of her nephews once commented to a couple visiting her home for the first time, “…if you ever leave my auntie’s home hungry, it is your own fault.” She loved family picnics on holidays, and her home was often the gathering place for these family events. She also loved being with family at the annual Mallory-Stamps family reunion, missing only one reunion between 1977 and the most recent reunion in 2019.

In the early evening of Sunday, September 26, God quietly called Rosa Lee home, where she joined the Hosts of Heaven, including her parents, Louis and Caroline Long Mallory; siblings George, Louis Jr., William, Clifton, Janie Mae, Ruth, Charles, and Harrison; husband, Charles, and son, Charles E. Lewis; daughter-in-law Marguerite Lewis and son-in-law Michael Bourne.

Cherished memories are held by her children, Dwight, Charlene, Carlton (Neda), Angela, and Adrian; grandchildren, Dana (Nikki), Bradley (Amber), Matthew, Alicia, Mallory, Charles, Dan, Angel, Tina Clark, and Pricilla McCauley. Families that she considers her own include the family of Ernest McDuffey, the family of Beal Bourne, the Thomas and Booker families, the Bass and Shoulders families, special granddaughter Kyla Bourne, special friend and neighbor, Sally Ligon and son, and a host of cousins, friends, and the entire Bethel A.M.E. Church family.

Family will receive friends, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, October 1, 2021 at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 1601 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915 ; Homegoing Celebration, 11:30 a.m., Rev. Lee Russell., Officiating.

Interment East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery 5901 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919

Arrangements by JARNIGAN & SON MORTUARY

www.jarniganandson.com

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Receiving of Friends

Friday, October 1, 2021
10:30-11:30 a.m
Mount Olive Baptist Church
1601 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915

Funeral Service

Friday, October 1, 2021
11:30 a.m
Mount Olive Baptist Church
1601 Dandridge Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37915

Graveside

Friday, October 1, 2021
East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery
5901 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919

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