Lorraine Diggs was born on December 10, 1921 in Burtville, LA to the parentage of Emma and Benjamin Diggs. During her early years of life she was parented by her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James and Roberta White. During the time spent with her grandparents, she lived in Chicago, IL. Lorraine returned to Dallas, TX and was a member of the first graduating class of Lincoln High School in 1939. In 1940's, she married Hubert Woodson and to this union four children were born, Sandra, Hubert, Jr., Bobbie Jean and Linda. In 1965, she married Rev. Oliver Rowe and they were blessed with one son, Oliver Jonathan, the youngest son of five children.
Mother Lorraine began a career in Early Childhood Development for several churches within the Dallas area. From these experiences, she realized that she loved working with young children so much that she decided to return to school learn how to appropriately care for young children within a Family Day Care Home setting. In order to obtain this training, she attended Mountain View Jr. College. After two years of training, Mother Lorraine received an Early Childhood Development Certificate. Her business, Christian Child Care and Counseling Services, became an accredited Family Day Home by the Texas Department of Human Services on May 24, 1990. She operated the business for twenty years. After retiring from childcare, people would stop her in the shopping mall or grocery store and say, Mrs. Rowe you cared for me when my mother had to go to work. You remember me? Mother would always remember them and the conversation would bring back fond memories. We are all amazed at how many lives our mother touched through the years. Later, she became a volunteer with the Senior Source of Dallas. As a senior companion, she assisted others seniors with their daily duties as needed.
Mother Lorraine Rowe received Christ as her personal savior and was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost in 1968. She began the journey under the ministry of the late Apostle Lobias Murray. She continued in membership and fellowship at Full Gospel Holy Temple for the next fifty years. The legacy continued with Apostle Herman Murray. While at Full Gospel Holy Temple, she was a member of the Mother’s Board. She says, “It was such an honor.”
On Friday, April 12, 2019, Mother Lorraine Woodson Rowe, transitioned into the loving arms of Jesus. Mother Rowe was welcomed by her two daughters, Bobbie Jean Woodson and Sandra Jean Green; four brothers, Ollie Diggs, Lawrence Diggs, James Lemuel and Ervin Diggs.
Mother Rowe leaves a lasting impression in the hearts of those that her life impacted: her sister, Bertha Lemuel; brother, Edward Foster(Jean); daughter, Linda Woodson Boles (Clarence); sons, Hubert Woodson, Jr. (Shirley) and Oliver J. Rowe (Jeff); her grandchildren, Shailendra Thomas (Richard), Paula Forney, Torry Edwards (Cheryl), Hubert Woodson III (Samantha), Terrance Woodson (Rosa), Mercedes Anderson and Tarra Woodson; great grandchildren, Lorren, Brian, Hillary, Chelsea, Jasmine, Toriana, Gabrielle, Chloe, Kaden and Camila; great-great grandchildren, Landon and Brai’Lyn; Special family friends, Alice Island, Linda and Larry Moore, Sandra and Charlie McCullough, Evangelist Debbie Perrin and Mother Marion Washington and a host of other family and friends.
Mother Rowe was loved by many and will be missed by all. She was a caring and loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother to many. We will all miss her but know that she has found her place in Heaven.