Rose Marie Petty Austin

Services for Rose Marie (Petty) Austin, 84, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Horace Fletcher and Bro. Seth Bowman officiating. Interment will follow at Ryan Chapel Cemetery in Diboll. Ms. Rose was a longtime member of Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Rose Marie (Petty) Austin was born on July 2, 1931 in Lott, Texas to S. L. and Bessie Petty. She passed away on March 6, 2016 in Lufkin, Texas.

Rose lived her adult life in Diboll. She retired at the age of 79 after working for many years for Perry Brothers and Dollar General. Most people in Diboll knew her as Ms. Rose at the Dollar General Store and was known as one of the sweetest women around. People also still remember her as the fabric lady at Perry’s in Chestnut Village.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathy Austin McKnight of Diboll and son and daughter-in-law, Johnny and Carolyn Austin of Diboll; granddaughters, Jennifer Austin of Tomball, Lindsey Austin of Kerrville, Sarah Smith and husband, Sam of Lumberton and grandson, Alex McKnight of Detroit, Michigan; great-grandson, David Lee McKnight Smith of Lumberton; sisters, Bessie Brown and husband, Vernon of Lufkin, and Zelda Crawford of Beulah. She is also survived by special niece/caretaker, Rosemary and Bobby Baker of Diboll; and many other loved nieces, nephews and special friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Marlin Austin; her parents; and sister, Lillie Mae Lawrence; brothers-in-law, Melvin Toney, Hobby Emsoff, James Crawford, and Ray Lawrence.

Pallbearers will be Winston Lawrence, Marlyn Smith, Paul Vann, Mike Ramsey, Bobby Baker, and Jack Dickey.

If you wish, in lieu of flowers, you may donate to the Youth Camp Fund at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 2005 Ford Chapel Road, Lufkin, TX 75904.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at Gipson Funeral Home.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.