Obituary of Rose Frieda Smith

The sun rose on the life of Rose Frieda Smith on August 28, 1950, in Madill, Oklahoma where she was born to Bobby Gardner and Rosie Porter. Rose was the youngest of five children born to this union, she had two brothers, Lonnie and Arthur, and two sisters, Eloise and Gloria. As a child, she was always quiet, kind, loving, and friendly. Rose rode horses as a teenager and was one of the first African Americans at her high school in the marching band. Educated in the public school system, she graduated from Madill High School. She continued with her education at Vista College in Berkley, California where she earned her Associate Degree in Business Administration. Rose met Sylvester Hastings in Madill, Oklahoma and in 1967 they were united in marriage. She was the proud and devoted mother of her one and only son, Michael. She later met Richard Smith in San Francisco, California and in 1973 they were united in marriage in Reno, Nevada. No children were born to this union. Her son Michael remembers her as being a sweet, kind person who embraced her privacy. She loved the work she did and took pride in being excellent at her crafts. Rose was blessed with one beautiful granddaughter, Amelia who called her “Grandma” and enjoyed spending time with her, sharing her love for sewing and crafting. Rose was a member of Colorado Community Church for 10 years where she volunteered and donated her time to the church. By profession, she worked in Project Management and was a Document Coordinator for many years at Parsons Corporation and Eichleay Engineers. Her co-workers remember her for being very well organized, bright, funny, and always having a kind word for people. In her free time, Rose enjoyed reading, quilting, and genealogy study. Her friends will forever cherish her simplicity. She lived a quiet life and enjoyed spending the holidays with family. Her favorite color was blue, she loved roses and the sounds of soul music. Luther Vandross was one of her favorites. Rose always wanted everyone to be positive, look for joy, be proud of their accomplishments, be kind, and to not judge others. This sweet, kind, caring, and loving lady will be deeply missed. To know Rose, was to love her. The sun set on the life of Mrs. Rose Frieda Smith on January 18, 2023, in Aurora, Colorado when she passed from this life into her eternal rest. She is preceded in death by her parents, and husband, Richard Lee Smith. Those left to cherish her memory include her son, Michael (Carrie) Hastings of Aurora, CO; granddaughter, Amelia Hastings of Aurora, CO; brothers, Lonnie (Patty) Porter of Madill, OK, and Arthur Watson of Las Vegas, NV; sisters, Eloise Adams of Lancaster, CA, and Gloria Sanders of Madill, OK; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends. Mom, You instilled in me a drive to belong. You always told me that I could achieve anything in life, if I gave my best. You pushed me to educate myself and to never stop achieving. You were my biggest cheerleader, and I will miss you dearly. Love, Michael Rest In Peace…Rose