Mrs. Rosie Mae Hairston's Obituary
Rosie Mae Jordan Hairston was born to Lillie Mae Miller and David Jordan on August 15, 1927, in Meridian, MS. In 1932, Rosie attended East End School for the First thru Third Grades and continued her education starting in the Fourth Grade at the historic Wechsler School located in the beloved "Redline" community. She joined Newell Chapel CME Church at a very early age where she attended with her grandmother, Rosa Watt Miller. It was from Grandmama Rosa that Rosie learned all of her diligent work ethic that she is known for. Rosie use to help her grandmother do laundry for a living and delivered clothes to customers on her bicycle. She said that she always worked hard to save up enough money to go shopping for a new dress. If you know Rosie, you know that her love for new and pretty clothes never stopped as she was a sharp dresser until the very end. fn late 1945, while working a part-time job at the military club at Meridian's Key Field, Rosie met the love of her life, George Hairston, at a dance. George was stationed at Key Field for Army training before he shipped off to Europe during World War II. It was love at first sight, and they were married one week later. George purchased the house from the landlord where Rosie already lived with her mother at 1701 29th Ave., so she has lived in the same house since the age of 16 for 79 years. After returning to Meridian from the war, George and Rosie were already new parents to George, Jr and quickly expanded their family with seven other children: Harriett, Humphrey, Harland, Babby, Leontyne, Grover, and Gabriel. By the early 60 's, George and Rosie started their own business, Rose Amusement Center, on 5th Street in the African American district of Downtown. They operated the business for 37 years until it closed in 2000. While George worked 12 hours, 6 days a week to provide for their growing family, Rosie's life revolved around taking care of her family and home. Her pride and joy were keeping a spotless house, raising the children, and cooking 3 meals a day, 365 days a year. You could always count on getting something good to eat if you visited the Hairston home. As one of the countless acts of love shown for her husband, Rosie delivered a hot 3-course meal to George six days a week at Noon to their family business on 5th St. for 40 years straight. She rarely missed a day. George and Rosie stayed married for 64 wonderful years until his death in September 2009 at the age of 89. Both George and Rosie taught all of their kids by example the value of working hard for a living and how to be respectful of others. She will be sorely missed by her family and bingo buddies.
On Friday, August 5, 2022, at the age of 94, Rosie Mae Jordan Hairston departed peacefully to be with the Lord.
She is survived by: her seven children: George Hairston Jr. of NY; Harriet Hairston of NY; Harland Hairston (Mary Ann Joe) of Biloxi, MS ; Babby Hairston of Meridian, MS; Leontyne Tompkins (Michael) of Houston, TX; Grover Hairston, Gabriel Hairston (Darnice) of Meridian, MS; grandchildren: Leon Harris and Cody Hairston of NY; Amanda Richardson (Keith), Colby Hairston, Kirby Hairston, all of Atlanta, GA; Valensia Lucas (Victor) of Meridian, MS; Alonta Hairston, Kenneth Jordan Clark (Madison) of Austin, TX; Brittany Hairston of Meridian, MS; and a host of great grandchildren.
Rosie was preceded in death by her loving husband, George Hairston; son, Humphrey Hairston; mother, Lillie Mae Grier; sister, Harriet Morris; brother, Raymond Grier; grandmother, Rosa Watt Miller; uncles: Tom Miller and Samuel Miller.
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