Rosalee Ella Childress, the daughter of James William and Evelyn Vera (Fassette) Lincicome, was born on January 15, 1929, in Independence, Kansas. Rosalee grew up in Parsons, Kansas and graduated from Parsons High School while working for the Richmond Music Company. After high school, she attended Parsons Junior College and worked for Kansas Power and Light Company.
On July 17, 1955, Rosalee was united in marriage to Donald Eugene Childress. They made their home in Parsons, Kansas until November of 1957. They then moved to Gladstone, Missouri where they raised their four children. In 1986, they moved to rural Platte County where they made their home.
Throughout Rosalee’s life, she was a homemaker and devoted her time to raising a family in Christian faith. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Rosalee also loved music and played the piano and organ. She taught piano lessons to area students, directed a church choir and played the organ at the Faubion United Methodist Church in Gladstone for many years. For several years she sang in Independence Missouri Mormon Temple production of Handel's Messiah.
Rosalee was also an amazing seamstress, making many of her clothes from patterns she designed along with her children's clothes while they were growing up. Throughout her life, she made drapes, curtains, pillows, costumes, and was also handy at making alterations. Raising a garden, canning and reading were her other past times.
Besides her parents and husband, Donald, Rosalee was preceded in death by her sister, Rowena Lincicome. She is survived by daughter, Linda Childress of Liberty, Missouri, daughter Mary O’Dell and husband Chuck of Tulsa, Oklahoma, daughter Donna Million and husband Neil of Tarkio, Missouri, and son James Childress, of Smithville, Missouri; seven grandchildren, Michael Davis and wife Dawn, Michelle Kentch and husband David, Clint O’Dell and wife Becca, Andrea Lopez and husband Wes, Angela Bell and husband Justin, Ashley Cook and husband Adam, and Jessie Leizear and husband Alan; and nine great-grandchildren, Kiley Davis, Korey Davis, Abbie O’Dell, Emma O’Dell, Trey Kentch, Isabella Kentch, Brynleigh Lopez, Brecklynn Lopez, Bracton Cook and Braeley Cook.
