Rosa O. Moore (October 22, 1914 – October 23, 2016) Mrs. Rosa Osefa Moore, age 102, of Huntsville, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. The funeral service for Mrs. Moore will be held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 12:00 p.m. at the Moseley Complex, on the campus of Oakwood University.
October 22, 1914, was a day of rejoicing on the beautiful island of Bocas del Toro, Panama, for F. and Jane Dean Sangster when their only child, Rosa Osefa Dean-Sangster was born. Her birth was celebrated alongside the opening of the Panama Canal. Little Rosa moved with her mother, and with the Dean family, to Panama City, Panama, where she was reared and nurtured within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She remembered hearing stories about Ellen G. White from her grandfather, who was among the first Seventh-day Adventists in Panama. As a result of this Christian guidance, Rosa was baptized into the SDA faith and remained a faithful member. When Rosa was 20 years old, she looked across the crowd at an uncle’s funeral and met the eyes of one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen: Alfred Charles Moore. In 1937, they married and established a happy home. Both Alfred and Rosa trained as nurses, but on the side, Alfred Charles Moore performed as a popular calypso singer. They became the proud parents of two children, Alfred, Jr., and Carol. After World War II, the family migrated to the United States in 1947, where they chose to settle in San Francisco, California. Rosa continued her Adventist connection when the family joined the Philadelphian SDA Church and remained a faithful member for 38 years until she and her husband moved to Huntsville, Alabama to join their daughter in 1983. While Carol worked at Oakwood College, she and her parents often fed as many as 50 students on Sabbath afternoons in their home. Rosa and Alfred had been married for 55 years when he passed away in 1992. Education was important to Rosa. After receiving her nursing certificate, she worked at the French Hospital in San Francisco, retiring after 37 years. Her compassion and love of people was evident in her choice of career and in her association with people. After retirement, she continued serving as she and her husband started their business as caretakers. Feeding hungry young people, helping families get into a good situation – “that’s the secret to a good life,” Rosa said when she turned 100 years old in 2014. Her love and kindness are traits which will be remembered by all who knew her. Her happiest times were when she had her children, grandchildren, great-grands and great-great grands around her. She enjoyed playing with them and teaching them Bible verses and songs in Spanish. Rosa was an unbelievable wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother and friend. She had a passion for enjoying life. She found the best in everyone around her. Her unique, radiant beauty and smile will live on in the hearts of all those she loved. Rosa said, “You should try and help somebody else. That’s why I have so many friends – some of them think they are relatives.” “Grandma,” “GG,” and “Grandma Rosa,” as she was affectionately called, was preceded in death by her granddaughter Angela in November, 2014, and by her daughter Carol in May, 2016. Rosa will continue to be loved and remembered by her son; Alfred (Grace); granddaughters Allyson and Sharon; grandsons, Eric and Darren; great-grandchildren, Jasmin, Bianca, Eric Whitney, Georgio, Mercedes, Giovanni, Ricardo, Chynna, Crystal; great-great granddaughter, Alayah; great-great grandson, Kai; and host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and ‘adopted’ family members.
