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Rosa Lee Webster was born in the small town of Chicot, Louisiana July 14, 1938, to teenage parents Woodrow Webster and Estella Andrus in the house by a midwife. She was affectionately called Rosa Lee by her close family members down south. Some called her little Rosa Lee. She was the oldest of 4 children brothers, Lannis Ned, Forrest Ned, and Luther Ned.
There were no schools for her to attend in Chicot, so she moved with her mom to a slightly larger yet still small town of Eunice, Louisiana. She attended a two-room schoolhouse North Negro Elementary and Charles Drew High School which accommodated grades 1-12. Rosa remained in Eunice until the age of 21.
She then moved to Omaha, Nebraska where her dad resided in 1961. Nebraska is where she met and married her husband Rev. Arthur May who she remained married to for almost 39 years until he was called home in 2001.
They then relocated to Portland, Oregon for work. From this union, 4 lovely children made them a complete family. Larry May, (Carolyn May spouse), Tina Straughter (Terrel Straughter spouse), Benjamin May (Lisa May spouse), and Karen May all of Portland, Oregon.
Once Rosa accepted the Lord, she kept herself immersed in the word, and was always ready and willing to share the good news with everyone. All conversations with her always ended with a word from the Lord. She passed out Bibles to anyone that needed one free of charge, she just wanted to know that you would use it. If you had an issue in your life, she always had a list of verses for you to read and was happy to give them to you. She was a quiet soul even as a child, she was quiet and loved to read. Rosa liked to crochet, sew, read the word, and watch TBN. She made the best peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cream pie that we would jokingly fight over.
Rosa worked part-time as a food service worker at Emanuel Hospital off and on for a few years. Rosa and her husband opened up their home to accept foster children in 1985. They were a safe haven for many foster children and being a foster parent was her true passion. In 1986 she received an award, a certificate of excellence for her exemplary efforts in caring for Oregon's most vulnerable children. She continued to take in foster children even after her husband passed away. She welcomed over 100 foster children into her home over the 30 years that she served as a foster parent. Each and every one of the children that she came into contact with would leave her home knowing at least 1 bible scripture and how to say a prayer. Her first foster child Jamila Allen kept in touch with her off and on from the time that she left her care until the present.
When she was no longer able to continue as a foster parent, she opened up her home to college exchange students. She took in her last exchange students in 2020, at the age of 81. Rosa was a small woman in stature but was very strong-spirited and stubborn. She wouldn't do ANYTHING until she was ready to do so and no amount of convincing would make her change her mind. She was also a strong believer in keeping your word. If you told her that you were going to do something she expected, you to say what you meant and do what you say and keep your word.
She believed in the power of prayer and the power of healing scriptures. She participated in weekly mission group zoom meetings. She taught the lesson on a couple of occasions and looked forward to sharing the word of God. She was a soldier of the Lord and will be truly missed.
Rosa is preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Arthur May; parents, Estella Ned and Woodrow Webster; brothers, Lannis Ned, Forrest Ned, Luther Ned; granddaughter, LaToya Streeter; nephew, Darrell Turner.
Rosa is survived by children, Larry May, Carolyn May, Tina Straughter, Terrel Straughter, Benjamin May, Lisa May, and Karen May; grandchildren, Verne'e Streeter, Tabeal Streeter, Alexis Thomas, and Dominique May; great grandson, Xzabreal Streeter; great great granddaughter, MayLani Streeter; sister-in-law, Alice Mitchell; brother-in-law, BJ May; niece, Cassandra Parker as well as a host of cousins’, nieces and nephews are left to cherish her memory.
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