A Beautiful, yet an undeniably woman, Rose Lee Maxson, Dead at 74.

Death, they say, is inevitable, and it is one certainty for every human being on earth. However, we must strive to live lives worth remembering. Yesterday evening, February 29, 1988, Rose Lee Maxson, an African American woman who was well-known in her community for caring for children who didn't have parents, helping the elderly, and mentoring young women, died of natural causes at her home in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. She was 74 years old at the time. She is survived by her son, Cory Maxson, her stepson and stepdaughter, Lyons, and Raynell Maxson.

Rose Maxson was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania on October 2, 1914. She was raised only by her mother, as her father was absent from her life because of his other children by other women. Rose's mother had other children from different fathers, but she raised them all alone. Rose met Troy Maxson, a former baseball player who was also an ex-convict, in the summer of 1939, when she was 24 years old, and they married in November of the same year, when she was 25 years old. In 1940, Rose and Troy welcome their first child, Cory Maxson.

Rose Maxson was a committed housewife who devoted her life to her husband, child, and husband's children. Troy Maxson could not have asked for a better wife. She kept her family together and embraced everyone. Regardless of her husband's aggressive behavior, she respected him. Rose and Troy were married for 25 years until Troy's death in 1965. However, Troy had another woman named Alberta pregnant during their 18th year of marriage in 1957, resulting in a heated quarrel between them. Rose felt betrayed since she had invested her entire life, her goals, and hopes in her husband, and he made her feel as if she were merely a part of his obligations by expressing how Alberta made him feel. Rose's love for Troy faded because of Troy's infidelity; she remained married to him, but she ceased loving and caring for him in the same way she had in the past, and the only responsibility left was her role as a wife. Troy and Alberta welcomed their daughter a year later, but Alberta died during childbirth. Rose chose to raise the child, whom she called Raynell.

In the 1950s, the family ideal was designed so that men provided and worked each day, and women stayed at home to run the household and raise the children. Men gained control in their homes and a sense of superiority over their wives as the primary provider. Even though Troy had cheated on Rose, his ego and job as a sole provider gave him a sense of dominance over her, and he saw no wrong with his actions.

In the aftermath of a major setback in her marriage, Rose dedicated her life to attending church and serving God, as well as offering her time to caring for the elderly in her church and community, all while raising Raynell, her husband's child. Unfortunately, Troy died six years after Raynell was born. Rose decided to continue raising Raynell since she made her feel like all the other children she had never had. After Troy died in 1965, Rose opened her home to children from orphanages a year after his death. During the time that Rose was raising Raynell, she discovered her passion and love for children, and she made the decision to transform her home into an orphanage home, where she began to care for children who had no parents and children whose parents had abandoned them. Rose continued to care for the elderly in her church and community, donating food, clothing, and money, as well as providing a variety of other services to the elderly. She was well-known for her charity work, and she will be missed. Rose founded the "Rose Lee Women's Circle" in 1970, which is a non-profit mentoring organization dedicated to women's empowerment. The organization's mission is to teach women, both married and unmarried, that their roles in marriage extend beyond homemaker. She counseled women to be loyal to their families while also not sacrificing their aspirations, hopes, and interests in their relationships. She shared her story with these women on a regular basis as a reference to the guidance she had provided them.

Rose Lee Maxson's life was filled with trials and tribulations, yet she achieved success beyond measure. In every part of her town, her passion for her community and for the people, especially the elderly, children, and women, could be felt. She blossomed into a haven for children, a source of strength for women, and a caregiver for the elderly. A woman like her is extremely rare, and she will be deeply missed by the community.

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