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Submitted: 3/27/23 • Approved: 3/28/23 • Last Updated: 3/31/23 • R1479060-G1479059-S3
Larry
October 10, 1925 - January 30, 1993
Rita
June 10, 1933 - October 24, 2021
Wed: September 26, 1953
It gives me joy to say that our mother, Rita Delois Brown Waller departed from her earthly body because of Alzheimer's disease but not before she gave the disease the fight of her life. This disease reared its awful existence to her daughter Deborah while she and her mother toured for fourteen days in Jerusalem and Egypt in April of 2009. In November 2010, as our mother continued to experience symptoms of memory loss, her physician confirmed she had Alzheimer's disease. Every time the disease thought it had her beat, she would come back stronger than ever. I never knew anyone to be kicked out of hospice as many times as our mother. She had the zeal of a bull to endure the race to the end. Her story ended after her twelve years battle with Alzheimer's. Glory be to God; we can now celebrate because our mother is now free from pain and confusion.
Let's start her race from the beginning. Rita's race began on June 10, 1933, in Gladewater, Texas, when God presented her parents George and Elumia Bailey Brown, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, as her two siblings Willie and Ruby, welcomed her into the family with curiosity and awe. Rita's father, seeking employment in the oil fields, moved the family from Gladewater to Norphlet, Arkansas, where Rita attended school in the Smith school community and graduated with honors as valedictorian of her class. She had a passion for reading, and she said to get out of doing her chores, "I would keep my head in a book." At the age of twelve, the family welcomed another baby girl into the family, Georgia Raye.
Race to marry and create a home life. Rita continued her race; she met L.J. Waller in August of 1953, and on September 26, 1953, she and L.J were married in El Dorado, Arkansas; and they continue their race, and together they reared seven children and one foster daughter.
After she married and created her own family, she used her time to be involved in her neighborhood. She was the community Avon lady and Campfire Girls' leader. She wasn't the athletic type; she didn't participate in any sporting activities, but she was a very creative person and had a passion for crocheting, cooking, and sewing. She would spend endless hours on the weekend sewing for herself, her daughter Deborah, and her niece/foster daughter Sheila to make sure that they had new dresses to wear on Sunday for church. She also made sure her sons were well dressed. More importantly, she was a nurturing and loving mother and wife and the epitome of a virtuous woman. "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil" Proverb 31:10-11. After thirty-nine years of marriage, L.J received his wings and crossed the finish line after his courageous battle with cancer.
Her spiritual race began at an early age when she united with the New Providence Baptist Church. She served on several different auxiliaries, such as the Women's Circle, Trustee, Deaconess, the Kitchen Committee, and sang in the choir. She loved to sing at home while cooking and cleaning, and her favorite song was "Blessed Assurance." She had a love for Christ. Before churches had services every Sunday, she made sure her family was in church every Sunday (first and third Sunday at New Providence and second and fourth Sunday at Union Arc). As her children got older and began serving their country, she would often tell them to unite with a church no matter where they went. She would often say, "If you are going to give the devil some of your time, you will most definitely give God some of your time." Rita lived a blessed life and was loved and spoiled by her husband and children. Most of all, she was a devout Christian who studied God's words, and she loved the Lord. She was a praying mother who put all her trust and belief in God.
Rita sprinted through life. She enjoyed playing dominoes, fishing, and seeing the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks play while visiting her children in Georgia. She enjoyed traveling, and her most memorable trips were experiencing the beauty of Hawaii and retracing the steps of her Lord in Jerusalem, where she was baptized in the Jordan River, and visited the Sphinxes in Egypt. Rita's thirst for life, her unparalleled love for her children, and her great love for grandchildren kept her immeasurably happy.
"The race is not given to the swift, or to the strong but to the one who endures to the end" Ecclesiastes 9:11. Rita retired from Prescolite after twenty years. As Rita continued to battle with Alzheimer's, she started to lose her momentum and veer off the course. On December 22, 2013, her children moved her to Lithonia, Georgia. She united with the Fairfield Baptist Church under "Watch care." As she continued her race, getting closer to the finish line, she started to lose her drive, and several of her friends and loved ones who were once trailing behind her received their wings and crossed the finish line before her.
Nearing the end of her race, her body's energy began to fail, and her health continued to decline. Her Lord said unto her, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," Matthew 25:21. "It's time to cross the finish line and come home." On Sunday morning, October 24, 2021, at 10:06 a.m., Rita Waller hung up her running shoes, received her wings, and her spirit ascended into heaven to be with the Lord. She was cheered into heaven’s gates to join her parents, George and Elumia; her brother, Willie Brown; her sisters, Ruby Thompson and Georgia Raye Stephens; her husband, L. J Waller; and three sons, Kenneth Waller, Glenn Waller, James Waller Sr.; and one grandson, James Waller Jr (Jamie) who had predeceased her.
Rita leaves her children to cherish her loving memories: Gary (Dewonda) Waller, Newnan, Georgia; Deborah Waller Blockman, Lithonia, Georgia; Larry (Stephanie) Waller, Covington, Georgia; Michael (Freda) Waller, Douglasville, Georgia; and a foster daughter, Sheila Williams, Little Rock, Arkansas. One daughter-in-law Carolyn Waller, El Dorado, AR, Nineteen grandchildren, forty-three great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren; Special caregivers, Ms. Shirley Florence, and Latangela Florence, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends celebrate her transition to her new life with God.
Contributed on 3/27/23 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 1479060