Rose Marie Kimball Lewallen

Rose Marie Kimball Lewallen, daughter, sister, teacher, wife, God's unique and beautiful creation, entered into the more immediate presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on Sunday afternoon, September 1, 2013 at her home in Plano, Texas. Rosie was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina first daughter of the late Henry and Margaret Kimball. She graduated from Northwest High School in 1958 with honors. During her time at Northwest she was the scorekeeper for the basketball team earning a letter for her work. In the l950's when high school students were school bus drivers, Rosie was the first female to drive a school bus, thus paving the way for other females to drive school buses. She was a hard worker. During the summer she earned money for her college education as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Shelton's Lake and Crystal Lake. After finishing those long days she worked nights at Reynolds Tobacco Company. Rosie left her home in Pfafftown the fall of 1958 to attend Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. Rosie double majored in Biology and Physical Education, she graduated in 1963. She met her husband, Lynn M. Lewallen, at Berea and they were married in 1966, he died in 2004. They had no children. Before her marriage, she worked as a swim instructor at the YWCA in Lexington, Kentucky. After her marriage she moved with her husband to Manassas, Virginia. While he pursued a career in computer technology and program writing she began her career as a science teacher in Virginia. She continued her career in Pennsylvania and finally in Texas, where she retired in 2010 with a total of 43 years as a high school science teacher. She was an excellent teacher who goaded her students into being the best they could be with the words: ""You did good today, but you'll do better tomorrow."" She valued education and used her own resources to fund the higher education of several young people. Beyond her intelligence and work ethic the best gift God gave Rosie was her wicked sense of humor. Anyone who knew her thought of her as funny, vivacious, energetic, feisty, fearless, creative and stubborn. Rosie was realistic, scientific and rational (sometimes), and wasn't outwardly emotional. But she felt deeply, loved genuinely and completely in her realistic, rational and unique way. Rosie was born into a family steeped in the strong faith-building traditions of the Moravian Church. Rosie loved the Moravian church, even in her most difficult times she came back to the basics of her faith: God's unconditional love for each of us, a close relationship with Christ, and the guidance of scripture in her life. She especially loved the Moravian devotional book The Daily Text. Rosie was a prayer warrior. Whenever anyone in the family or in her acquaintance had a spiritual or physical need she prayed and then called the people in her family and demanded that they also pray and get their churches to pray. She even taught her dogs to pray. During her time in Texas she was a faithful member of the Disciples Christian Church of Plano. She loved this community of faith; and they loved her. She continued to practice the spiritual disciplines of the Moravian Church to her last day and shared them with her Plano church family. Though she could not attend the Moravian Church, she was loyal to her home church, Bethania Moravian. She is survived by her brothers Tom Kimball (Anne), Salisbury, NC, Joe Kimball (Karen), Alexandria, Va; her sister, Jane Kimball Hoover (Joe), Pfafftown, NC. Five nieces Karen McCray (John), Elizabeth Standafer (Greg) , Beth Hoover-DeBerry (Jeff), Maeghan Kimball, Kari Kimball, and one nephew, Ben Hoover(Danielle). She was blessed with four Great-Nephews: Jacob Standafer, Robert Spurrier, Logan Andrews, and Nikolos DeBerry. Six Great-nieces: Kelsey Spurrier, Kiersten Spurrier, Leah Andrews, Jenna Standafer, Makensie DeBerry and her namesake, Kimball Hoover. She leaves to honor her memory, a wonderful church family in Texas, friends and students in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas, her best and closest friend, Pat Brown, of Plano Texas, lifelong friend, Amelia Wagner and a multitude of memories and stories from everyone who ever knew her. A memorial service will be held at Bethania Moravian Church, at 2:00 pm on Sunday, October 6, 2013 with The Rev. Russ May officiating. The family will greet visitors following the service in the Bethania Moravian fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Rosie's memory to Bethania Moravian Church, P.O. Box 170, Bethania, NC 27010, or a charity of your choice.

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