Mother Rosa Lee Stephens-Calloway

Obituary For Mother Rosa Lee Stephens-Calloway

Rosa Lee Calloway, 82 of Harrisburg, transitioned into eternal life on Saturday, October 17, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jessie Calloway Sr. She was a member of Lingo Memorial Church of God In Christ. Mother Calloway leaves to cherish memories of her; her children, Thelma (Richard) Echols, Georgie (Michael) Potts, John Wayne (Tina) Calloway, Pastor Garry E. (Linda) Calloway, Sr. and Lester Bowman, all of Harrisburg; several grandchildren, other relatives and friends. Services will be at Lingo Memorial Church of God in Christ, 2747 Reel St. Harrisburg, PA with Covid 19 guidelines, on Saturday, October 24th at 11 a.m., viewing 9 a.m. and burial in William Howard Day Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Major H. Winfield Funeral Home, Steelton. Live streaming of the service will also be available on the Major H. Winfield Funeral Home YouTube page. www.majorhwinfieldfuneralhome.com

The Program Obituary EACH BOOK HAS A BEGINNING AND AN, END SO BE IT WITH THE LIFE OF MOTHER ROSA LEE STEPHENS-CALLOWAY

ROSA LEE STEPHENS-CALLOWAY was born on Tuesday, March 1, 1938 in Chatham, Virginia, the 2nd of 10 children born to the union of the late Samuel Eugene Stephens and the late Reva Nora Jones-Stephens. Raised in Chatham, Virginia, she received her formal education in the Pittsylvania County, Virginia School System. In her early years, Rosa attended the Smithfield Primitive Baptist Church in Chatham, Virginia which was founded by her Great-Grandmother Flora Anderson-Smith. On Thursday, November 20, 1958 she was united in holy matrimony with her childhood sweetheart, Jessie Calloway Jr. and they were blessed with five children; Thelma, Georgie, John “Wayne”, Gary and Lester “Lee Lee”.

After relocating to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she gained employment as a professional cook, and for a brief time for the state of Pennsylvania. For more than 25 years, Mother operated a state certified child care center in her home. Mother Rosa was known as an extraordinary cook. Her golden fried chicken and apple cobbler were legendary.

Rosa initially joined the Congregational Church of God in Christ under the late Bishop M.A. Carter and Mother Odessa Carter, where she was saved and received the Holy Ghost. She later, along with her family, joined the Lingo Memorial Church of God in Christ under the leadership of then Elder Benjamin J. Ravenel, Sr. For over 50 years, until her health started to fail, Rosa faithfully served in many capacities at the church such as: the Usher Board, the sewing circle and as one of the head cooks in the kitchen.

Mother Calloway took her Christian walk seriously, you could always find her anywhere giving God the praise in word and in song for the marvelous things he had done. The family home she shared with her late husband was a safe place of refuge to anyone in need in the community. She offered Christian counseling and prayer, which resulted in bringing many people to Christ.

On Saturday, October 17, 2020 with her family at her bedside, Mother Rosa Calloway, at the age of 82 years, 7 months and 17 days, transitioned from this earthly life into eternal life. The Lord determined it was time for her to come home and she moved from labor to reward. Rosa was preceded in death not only by her parents, but also by her husband, Jessie; her stepfather, William Spencer Calloway; her brothers, Samuel, Lawson, Orlando, Charlie and Elix “Buddy” Stephens, Cheyene and Eugene Calloway and her sister, Elder Pinkie Stephens-Walker. She leaves to celebrate her life her devoted children, Thelma Echols (Richard) of Spring Garden, Virginia; Georgie Potts (Michael); John Wayne (Evangelist Earthenia); Pastor Gary E.Calloway, Sr. (Elder Linda) and Lester Bowman, all of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; her two special nieces, Valeria Reese of Stafford, Virginia and Cynthia Escalera of Richmond, Virginia; a special son she considered as her own, Frankie Soto of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; her sisters, Evelyn D. Bowman of Richmond, Virginia and Pastor Pyrine K. Fitzgerald (Deacon Alfred) of Bridgeport, Connecticut; her brothers, George Richard Stephens of Sutherland, Virginia; Stonewall Calloway (Maria) of Oxford, North Carolina and Woodrow Jones of Bridgeport, Connecticut; her sister-in-law, Mamie "Penny" Stephens of Bridgeport, Connecticut; her brother-in-law, Jerry Calloway of Bakersfield, California; her twenty-seven grandchildren; her eighteen great-grandchildren; her godchildren, Tonja Anderson, Trina Jackson and Alfonso Springs, all of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

She had many sons and daughters of the heart, who loved and looked after her, Lannie Jones, Myrtle and Connel Hough, Rebeca Ingram and Penny McDonald. We know it hurts to lose a God-sent mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, family member and friend as special as Mother Calloway. To be absent from the body is to be present with Lord. We are sure that she will receive a “well done, good and faithful servant, enter into your rest.”

LOVINGLY SUBMITTED BY HER FAMILY

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