Rosemary Berry

Rosemary Franklin Berry was born on August 3, 1929 in Houston, Texas. She was the oldest of six children of A. C. and Maggie Beatrice Cozier Franklin. Rose married Harold W. Berry in June 1946. She graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School on Houston on January 25, 1947. She was a voracious consumer of literature and lover of music. She was known to read three to four books at the same time, while listening to music by Elvis. Her keen intellect and love of learning led her to train as a nurse. She received her LVN license in 1956 and moved to California, where she pursued her nursing career in 1959. She was later awarded a service award for 15 years of faithful service to the United States of America by the Veterans Hospital of Psychological Medicine in Brentwood, CA. Our loved one, Rose, was a nurse, a familial angel, an investor, an entrepreneur, and a trailblazer. She used her hard-earned money to fund dreams, employ family, and provide shelter, comfort, and advice. She was never afraid to speak her truth and love with all her heart. Our dearest mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend had a glorious sense of style. She appreciated the intricate beauty of a tiffany lamp and the clever use of a scarf as a bracelet. Our love, our light, our inspiration...she will always be in our hearts and minds. Surrounded by family, Rose departed this life in Houston on March 27, 2018 at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her parents, A. C. and Maggie B. Franklin; her sister-Geraldine Porter; her brother-in-law-Horace Austin; and innumerable aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Rose is survived by her 6 children: Harold, Jr., Lola, Patricia, Shirley, Viviana, and Kathy; 23 grandchildren; 50 great grandchildren; 21 great-great grandchildren; three sisters-Gloria, Shirley, Toni and 1 brother - Arthur ("Boy"); and a great number of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.