Rose McIver

Published 12:00 am Friday, June 18, 2010

Funeral services for Rose Marie Williams McIver, 93, of Bainbridge, will be held Saturday, June 26, at 3 p.m. at Nelson Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church with Pastor James Platt officiating.

Interment will follow in Pineview Cemetery with Christopher Campbell, Jerome Taylor, Timothy Flanders, Michael Stanton, Hubert Thomas, T. Jan Perry and Cornell Hamilton serving as active pallbearers.

Born in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 20, 1917, Mrs. McIver died on June 18, 2010, in Bainbridge.

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Mrs. McIver was the daughter of the late James and Mary Williams. Her family later moved to Tallahassee, Fla., where she was nurtured and received her educational training. Rose was a member of Philadelphia Baptist Church in Tallahassee. At an early age, Rose Marie accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, and He became the Master Pilot of her life. Rose Marie was a virtuous woman with a deep abiding faith in God.

Rose is a graduate of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Math with a minor in Spanish and a Master’s in Education. She also studied in Saltillo, Mexico, where she enhanced her Spanish acumen. She also studied at New York University, Atlanta University and participated in NDEA Institute for Spanish in Petersburg, Va.

In 1950, Rose married the late Harrison D. McIver Jr. Unto this union, two children were born: Harrison D. McIver, III and Alicia D. McIver. Once established in Bainbridge, Rose created a wonderful home, church, community and career. She became an active member of Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church where she served faithfully as a Sunday school teacher and coordinator of Vacation Bible School. She served on the finance committee, the Missionary Society, and on the trustee board.

She retired after 37 years of combined teaching in Leon County, Fla., and Decatur County, Ga.

In describing her years of teaching, she said, “My years of teaching experience have been very enjoyable and profitable. I feel that in some little way, I have helped the boys and girls under my supervision to grow educationally and socially and to some extent morally because I’ve tried to guide them in the right direction.”

Rose was active in several civic and community organizations. During her life, she was a member of Decatur County Association of Educator, the Modern Foreign Language Association of Georgia, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish, the Decatur County Retired Teacher’s Association, Club Allegro, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and the Pride of Bainbridge Chapter No. 479, Order of the Eastern Stars.

As a member of the Order of the Eastern Stars, she served as Interim Grand Worthy Matron and Grand Associate Worthy Matron of the State of Georgia, District Matron of Bainbridge District No. 12, and Worthy Matron and Secretary of the Pride of Bainbridge No. 479.

Mrs. McIver leaves behind a legacy of love to her two children, Harrison D. McIver III and his wife, Lauryce, of Memphis, Tenn., and Alicia D. McIver of McDonough, Ga.; two grandchildren, Ayanna Z. McIver of Clarksdale, Miss., and Kejaun S. Frazier of McDonough, Ga.; two great-grandchildren, Amber Yasmin and Aubree Rose of Clarksdale, Miss.; a niece, Harriette J. Hodges of Bainbridge; grand nieces and nephews, Kermelle Hensley, Moya Hodges, Bria Pierre, Louie McIver, Brianna Bookhart and Gabriel Gordon; a devoted friend, Mary Guyton; and a host of other devoted relatives and friends.

Bruton Mortuary in Bainbridge is in charge of arrangements.