Born on 15 November 1946, Rosie passed away on 6 May 2020. You can join us in remembering her by making a donation here to the Aegis Trust. A cause dear to Rosie, Aegis works to prevent genocide. Through education, it enables people to give up revenge, lay down weapons and champion humanity.

ROSIE'S LIFE

Rosie was 16 when she made her commitment to Christ at the little Methodist Chapel in Walesby. Her prayer was, "Lord, what do you want me to do with my life?" She felt He was leading her into nursing and at the age of 17 she left home to train as a nurse in the City General Hospital in Sheffield (now known as the Northern General). 

When she arrived in Sheffield, Rosie joined the Nurses Christian Fellowship. After three years she passed her exams and became a staff nurse in a men's surgical ward for a year, before becoming a District Nursing Sister around Sheffield. She enjoyed being able to interact more with the patients in their own homes, and they really loved her. Her friends said she was very loving and compassionate. 

In 1971, Rosie gave up nursing to look after her mother following an operation. In that same year, she married Tom and went on to become a mother of three girls - three under three. It was at this time Tom and Rosie met the Smith family, and Mrs Smith in particular was like a mother to them and to the whole family. 

In 1990 Rosie went back into nursing. She took a post as a nurse at Sherwood Grange Nursing Home and after a few years became matron there. Once again her love and kindness was felt by those she cared for. She always said, "the care of the patients is first", and she taught her staff the same. She served there for 30 years. Her prayer was always, "make me a channel of Your peace" – and she was. Many families were truly blessed as she, along with her staff, cared for their loved ones in the last days of their lives. 

Her work was not just nursing. She loved sewing, and her sewing room was often very busy, making gifts and crafts to raise funds for the Aegis Trust, the charity she supported. Then there was her garden. She kept it very neat and tidy, and always very pretty. The allotment, well, that was a real pleasure. Coming home from work, she would put on her gardening shoes and spend many an hour there, growing produce for all the family. The topping was her six grandchildren, who she loved dearly. She was either looking after them, or they would be helping her do chores in the home. 

In January 2019, Rosie was diagnosed with an aggressive terminal cancer. The consultant gave her 18 months. She took this last stage of her journey hand in hand with the help and encouraging support of Mrs Smith. This journey is a story in itself. She learned to trust God each step of the way, and many miracles of His loving grace were there too. Rosie worked until January 2020, and then in February with sadness she told Sherwood Grange that her nursing career had come to an end.

Ready to meet her Lord and Saviour, on the 6th of May she went home to be with Him.

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