Virginia Rose was like a second mother to me.  My mother, Jane Adele Whitehurst married her brother, Ernest Lyons.  Daddy Lyons was in the process of adopting me. He had the adoption papers drawn up, but drowned before he signed them. I was only 5 at the time of his death, but I remember it all very well. 
After his death, Rose took me to her home to stay with her for awhile. I think I ended up living with her for about 3 years. I still don't know why, but it was a wonderful time for me. She was the most loving, caring, patient person I've ever known. There are so many things I remember concerning her about my childhood.  Each summer when I hear a small airplane fly overhead, it reminds me of Rose on the warm summer afternoons at her home. It would be baseball season and she loved baseball!  The windows in the house would all be open, a gentle breeze coming in and the sound of an airplane buzzing nearby in the bright blue summer sky, and Rose would be lying on her bed listening to the baseball game. It was all so peaceful then.  I remember her knitting.  She was always knitting and did beautiful work. I remember she raised boston bull screwtail puppies, one litter had to be hand fed, she taught me how to hold the tiny newborn pups and feed them with tiny little bottles.  She was an excellent seamstress, she made all my costumes for my Sanger Ave School Mayfetes.  She made my costumes for my tap dance and ballet recitals. She even made clothes for my dolls!  She made the very best fried liver and rice I've ever eaten. I learned to love that!  She made Kenny and I a playhouse inside on bad days, using a cardtable covered with a cloth.  She was very inventive that way.  I remember listening to the radio on those wonderful quite evenings, "The Shadow" was one I really remember best.  Then after TV came along, we would watch the "Hit Parade" each week. 
Rose took me on their vacation trips with them, although I always got "car sick".  Like I said, she had patience!  We loved Galveston and went there often. 
After I grew up, married and had children, she regarded them as hers too!  She was like a grandmother to them and they all 
loved her dearly. She took one child each Friday night and kept him all weekend. Sometimes she kept them all. She bought them toys, clothes, took them to church and most important, loved them. 
My family spent every Christmas Eve at her home since I can remember, we called it our family Christmas party.  Started out 
with just a few of us and ended up being a crowd.  We did get to spend this last Christmas with Rose, not at her home but at 
my oldest son's home. Even though her speech was effected by the stroke, when I went to her, sat down and said "Hi Rose", her eyes lit up and she put out her hand for me to hold and of all the "talking" she did!  I couldn't understand, but I felt that she was telling me all the latest family news. Robert and his wife Lissa had taken her into their home to care for her after her stroke and heart attack. 
Bless you Rose, you will be greatly missed by us all and our love goes with you... 

Jane Combs
January 5, 2005

 
Our beloved Rose was much loved by our family. It was an honor to have her in our home. We are only sorry it was for such a short time. She was loved by all the people in her life. She always graced a room with her warm smile and open arms, always hugging each child with genuine love. She was like a magnet to children. They always gravitated to her side. You could see her eyes twinkle whenever a child was near – even when she was sick. 

She will truly be missed in our home and our hearts will ache for her hugs. But we knew that someone with so much love would end up with the One who gives us the ability to share love, because love is what Rose was all about. Children learned of great pure Christ-like love from being with Rose. She loved many in her life and we are sure many throughout her life loved her. 

Rose is with the Master in heaven but her legacy of love she left behind will continue on this earth from those she touched. We wonder the magnitude of people she touched in her 92 years on this earth. If we all follow her example of love we would be a blessing to many as she was to so many throughout her life. 

Our life and home has been truly blessed by her influence in our lives. We thank God for the privilege of knowing such a selfless person. She always put others before herself even when she was sick. She was concerned that she would be a burden to our family because we have nine children and thought we had enough to do. But that was far from the truth, she was never a burden but a joy to have with us. It was an honor we will treasure forever. 

We love you Rose.
Robert & Lissa Combs
Richard, Katelyn, Brian, Elisabeth, Anna, Sarah, Olivia, Megan and Robert James

January 5, 2005
 

Writted lovingly by her son, Kenneth Wallace Ford
2006

I met Miss Rose in 1972 when my family moved in 2 doors down from her.  My own children loved to go visit her and play in her backyard.  I will always think fondly of her when I hear of the Texas Rangers on the radio!  Rose will be greatly missed by us all. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family...