Rosalie “Rose” Sweat Graham, age 98, of Demorest, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Monday, January 08, 2024.
Rose was born in Water Valley, Mississippi, to Clifford and Autie Lee Sweat. She grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, where her father was a boilermaker for the Illinois Central Railroad. Rose also spent many enjoyable summers at the home of her maternal grandparents, Jackson Rhodes and Rosa Lee Underwood, near Hazelhurst, Georgia. After her father’s death, Rose and her younger brother, Morris, moved to Jacksonville, Florida, with their mother. Rose attended Andrew Jackson High School, where she ran track and played basketball. After graduating from Andrew Jackson, she attended Jacksonville Junior College (now Jacksonville University).
Rose married Vernon Graham of Denton, Georgia. The young couple first resided in Brunswick, Georgia, and then Nashville, Tennessee, where Vernon studied refrigeration and air conditioning principles while Rose worked for Spur Oil Distributing Company. The couple relocated to Jacksonville, where Vernon pursued a career as a civilian employee of the United States Navy at N.A.S. Jacksonville. The couple had one son, Danny, and Rose worked as a homemaker until Danny was a junior high school student.
She returned to her studies and then sought opportunities in finance. She worked for different companies as a bookkeeper and accounts receivable specialist and for Memorial Hospital as a special assistant to the comptroller. She next worked for the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services for the State of Florida, serving in various capacities, including statistician, payroll auditor, and currier, and data input specialist for the state hospital in Macclenny.
Rose was always an eager student taking advantage of work-related continuing education courses throughout her career. Upon retirement, she attended Jacksonville University, the University of North Florida, and Flagler College, studying computer science, history, and the humanities. In addition, she was a tour guide, historic site interpreter, and volunteer for the National Park Service in the St. Augustine area. She also worked for the NPS and on-site concessionaires at Glacier in Montana, Massanutten in Virginia, and Yellowstone in Wyoming.
Rose and her family were always active in the work of the church. During her lifetime, she served many area churches, including Hogan Baptist, Southside Baptist, Moultrie Baptist, and Ancient City Baptist. Rose taught Sunday School and directed Christian Education and Training. She volunteered with the Christian Ministry in the National Parks organization when she worked at various parks. She volunteered through Ancient City Baptist at the local food bank.
In April 2018, Rose moved to the Silver Creek Assisted Living Community, where she shared stories and participated in a variety of activities.
In 2021, at age 95, Rose wrote a short story that was published in the May-June 2021 issue of Good Old Days Magazine. “The Den of Iniquity” is the title of her light-hearted treatment of an incident from her childhood in Paducah, Kentucky, not long after the end of prohibition.
Most recently, Rose lived at Magnolia Hills in Demorest, Georgia.
Rose’s husband, Vernon, died in 1976, and Rose never remarried. She and her brother cared for their mother until Autie’s death in 1988. Rose’s brother, Morris, died in 1997, and her nephew, Harold Sweat (Morris and Bettye’s son), died in 2018. Her sister-in-law, Bettye Sweat, died in 2021. Rose is survived by her son Danny and his wife, Judith Ann; her granddaughters, Rebekah Saylors and her husband, Wes, and Ann Graham; and nieces, Linda Gerth and Suzanne Aboud; great nephew Rick Sweat; great niece Angelina Aboud; and many cousins.
No services are planned at this time.
An online guest registry is available for the Graham family at www.HillsideMemorialChapel.com.
Arrangements are in the care & professional direction of Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens of Clarkesville, Georgia. (706) 754-6256
