Rose Marie Fitzgerald

Absent from the body; present with the Lord.” On August 14, 2022, this promise, inscribed on Rose Fitzgerald’s shared headstone with her husband Don, became reality. Rose joined Don, her parents, Torrance and Aline Graham, her brother Torrance Jr. and sister Beth Ann Burcaw and their spouses in their Savior’s presence. She leaves behind a daughter, Lael Fitzgerald Arrington, and her husband Jack, and a grandson Zachary Arrington and his wife Grace Ann Gould.

Rose was born in Brownwood, Texas, spent her childhood in Dallas and moved to the Houston area when her father found a job in the printing supply business. He later went on to found his own company, Hi-Speed Litho Supply, and Rose graduated from Reagan High School where she won awards in Speech/Radio competitions and participated in the Reagan Redcoats. She loved living in Texas and never wanted to move.

God gifted Rose with a beautiful voice, and she took great delight in singing. In her younger years she travelled with a trio singing for Christian youth rallies and camps. Her beautiful voice filled meeting rooms and her own home with hymns, choruses and popular tunes. She learned to play the violin, organ and, around the campfires on her many travels, her accordion. In Rose and Don’s succession of travel trailers and RVs through the years, they enjoyed looping up the east and west coasts into Canada and back to Texas. Colorado was their favorite destination. Once, as their rig struggled to attain the summit of Tin Cup pass out of Aspen, Rose slid out of their slowly moving Suburban, dropped back, and in her famously strong-willed way, helped push their trailer up over the summit.

God also blessed Rose with a gift of great creativity. She was a master gardener, creating lovely landscapes outside her homes. She designed drapes for her living room and dresses for her daughter, as well as tablescapes for many showers and parties. In the best Mad Hatter tradition, she knew how to throw a terrific Happy Un-Birthday party!

Together with her husband, she enjoyed home improvement projects of their own design and labor, even finishing out the second story of their Spring Branch home according to Rose’s design.

Rose had a heart for serving in her church and community--leading a Brownie troop, teaching in Vacation Bible School and junior church, as well as the Junior High youth group. She served on the board of her family’s company and on the missions committee of her church. For many years she was active in the Women’s Auxiliary supporting the ministry of Camp Peniel Christian Youth Camp in Marble Falls, Texas.

Rose and Don were generous givers, supporting missionaries and evangelists around the world to bring the good news of forgiveness and blessing in Jesus to many, especially through Christian radio station TGNA in Guatemala.

Rose loved and supported her family—cheerleading at countless recitals, performances, and company dinners. She was a tender caregiver when they were sick. A designer of puppets and costumes when spirits needed lifting. From her family inheritance she blessed her own family with tuition to Christian schools and conferences, as well as many memory-making trips.

Rose lived at Carriage Inn Senior Living in Conroe, Texas for almost fifteen happy years. She lost her husband of sixty-four years in 2015. Recently she moved to assisted living at Heritage Oaks in Conroe and finally Memory Lane memory care near Tomball, Texas. When she began to decline in July, her daughter and son-in-law came in from South Carolina to be with her. But after two weeks they caught Covid and had to quarantine as Rose continued to decline.

Jack and Lael Arrington are so grateful to the caregivers at Memory Lane as well as their friend, Dori McCartney, who surrounded Rose with loving care while they could only talk to her on the phone as she became less and less responsive. Finally, the day before Rose died, they were able to visit her and be with her until she passed. They are so grateful for the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus throughout Rose’s life, and especially for that wonderful final reunion.

Rose loved Jesus, had trusted him as her Savior, and was eager to join him and her departed family in his presence. Her love, laughter and creativity will be deeply missed by those who remain behind.

A private service will be held Friday, August 19, 2022 at the Lakeside Chapel at Salem Lutheran Church in Tomball, Texas. Interment to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Houston, Texas.

Memorial gifts may be given in memory of Rose to Camp Peniel Christian Youth Camp in Marble Falls, Texas https://cwngui.campwise.com/Apps/OnlineGuestDonations/OGD.html or Fellowship Bible Church in Columbia, South Carolina https://fellowshipbiblecolumbia.org/give where Jack and Lael served for the past twelve years.