Rose Marie Stancil Sweesy in 1992 Rose Marie Stancil Sweesy was born Jan. 19, 1928, and died on Aug. 19, 1998. She married James Walter Sweesy Sept. 8, 1945.

Rose's Children with James Sweesy

Thomas Ira "Ike" Sweesy

Michele Marie Sweesy Lane

Robin Stancil Sweesy Moser

Christopher Bradley Sweesy Sr.

Rose and sister Martha in 1942. Family photo

Early Life

Rose was born in Goldsboro, N.C. Rose spent much of her growing up years at her granny's house. She only lived a short distance from George and Eva's. Rose had a special bond with her Aunt Dot, who was 15 months older.

About 1931, when Rose was 2 or 3, she broke out in red patches. To add to the problem, Rose had very fine hair and it wouldn't grow. Emmette and Dessie spent time and money seeking out treatment. She was given horse blood from Kansas City and it cured her but it made her hair texture change. It became brittle and broke off. It looked like it was burnt. When she was 6, Vazelle gave her a permanent and her hair began to grow normally again.

Church and School

Rose joined Center Ridge Presbyterian Church during a 1930s revival along with Junior, Harold, Dot and Glenn but was not baptized, returned to Holly Springs Free Will Baptist Church.

Rose went to school in Glendale. When Emmette and Dessie moved to Wilmington in fall of 1942 Rose lived with Effie and Robert. The next school year, Rose lived in Kenly with Dessie's parents, the Morrises. She developed a close relationship with cousin Margaret Stancil, Arthur's daughter and John Arthur's granddaughter, who moved to Kenly with her mother Clyde in 1943.

They did not want to attend Kenly School. They found a solution to the problem. Rose and Margaret rode to Glendale School with a Glendale teacher, Miss Andrea Covington. They met at the post office for their 5-mile ride to school.

Once when they arrived at school, they decided to skip school. They walked all the way back to Kenly for a day of fun and leisure.

Rose and Margaret double dated and attended school functions together. Rose graduated after 11 years of school in 1944. She moved to Wilmington with her parents. Dot also moved. Dot and Rose worked in the shipyards. They were taught welding by Emmette.

Margaret stayed another year, graduating in 1945 after 12 years of school.

Career and Marriage

Rose was hired as a clerk typist at the Bluethenthal Airfield in Wilmington. Rose entered a beauty contest and won the title of Miss P-47 Thunderbolt of 1945. Soon afterwards she met James "Jim" Walter Sweesy. James was born Nov. 9, 1920.

One fellow Rose dated was Worth Deans who was in the Army. Rose dated many servicemen and she thought Jim Sweesy was special.

James Walter Sweesy served in the Air Force from 1937 until 1968. Family photo

Rose lived at home until she married James Sweesy on Sept. 8, 1945. They had a church wedding in Wilmington, NC. Vazelle, Hilda, Mamie and her grandmother Eva Stancil attended.

They had four children: Thomas Ira "Ike" Sweesy born on Jan. 20, 1948, Michele Marie Sweesy born on Nov. 1, 1949, Robin Stancil Sweesy born Jan. 8, 1954, and Christopher Bradley Sweesy born June 21, 1960.

Michele was born while Rose and Jim were at Barksdale Air Force in Louisiana. The baby was due Oct. 28, 1949. Emmette wrote to Ralph in a letter dated Oct. 30, 1949 telling him when the baby was due and that he and Dessie might need to fly out if she had problems. Michele was born Nov. 1.

Jim was career Air Force. Rose was by his side for the many moves, always seeking out a church home for the family. Flying roots ran deep and she became a pilot too. Jim retired and died suddenly Aug. 7, 1971.

It happened that Ethel Stancil, Renn Stancil and fiancé Bobby Hinton were in North Carolina to get a marriage license for their upcoming marriage on Aug. 22, 1971. They attended the funeral at Seymour Johnston Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC.

He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Later Life and Legacy

Rose was beautiful, flamboyant and a bigger than life family member whom we loved dearly. She was sweet and thoughtful.

Rose was a member of the Madison Street Baptist Church in Goldsboro. She sang in the choir and taught Sunday School.

Margaret retired and moved to Goldsboro in 1978. She enjoyed being able to visit with Rose. Rose was the only bright spot of the move. Margaret returned to the Washington D.C. area in less than a year.

Rose had a stroke. She spent the last few years of her life in a nursing home in Cary, NC. Her funeral was in a Cary funeral home. Walt Six, Gilda Renfrow Six, Hilda Stancil Hales Stover, Mamie Stancil Carraway Blair and Bob Dennison (Dot Stancil Dennison's widower) went together.

Rose was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., beside her beloved Jim.

— Renn Stancil Hinton