Roxie House

Our awesome GOD saw fit to bring home to Him our beloved ROXIE ANN ROBERTSON CLEVELAND MITCHELL HOUSE. She was born on February 5, 1926, in Laurens, South Carolina, the fourth of nine children born to her parents, the late Reverend Elisha Robertson, Sr. and Irene Campbell Robertson. At an early age, Roxie accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Laurens, South Carolina. She received her early education in the Laurens County Public Schools, and was a member of the Thomas Sanders High School Class of 1946. Always having a compassion for helping others, later in life she pursued and received her Nursing Assistant Certificate. For many years Roxie was employed as a domestic engineer-first in Laurens and later in Baltimore, Maryland. She performed her responsibilities with dignity, honor and pride. One family that she particularly grew to love (and they, her) was that of her "eldest daughter," Elizabeth "Betty Lee" Cornell and Betty Lee's children, Chip and Betsy Woody. Roxie was joined in Holy Matrimony on June 13, 1946 to her first husband, the late Willie Mitchell, Sr., who was the oldest of six children born to Mozelle I. Mitchell and the late Marion B. Mitchell. From this union, Roxie and Willie B. were blessed with seven children. She and her husband and then two children moved from Laurens to Baltimore, Maryland in 1947. On September 20, 1970, Roxie was joined in Holy Matrimony to her second husband, the late Elroy M. House. During their marriage of more than thirty years, Roxie and Elroy traveled to many places including, Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, High Point, NY, Honolulu, HI, Las Vegas, NV, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Nassau, Bahamas, Ontario, Canada and Riviera Beach, FL. Roxie joined Unity United Methodist Church in Baltimore over fifty-two years ago under the leadership of its founder, the late Reverend Levi B. Miller, Sr. At Unity U.M. Church, she took her children to church. She was active as Vice President of the Senior Usher Board, advisor to the Youth Usher Board, an active member of the Women's Society of Christian Service (which later became the United Methodist Women - U.M.W.), a faithful member of the Adult Bible Study Class and the Hospitality Committee. At Unity U.M. Church, Roxie was under the pastorate of the late Reverend Levi B. Miller, Sr., the late Reverend Levi B. Miller, Jr., Reverend William H. Peters, Sr., and Reverend Dr. Kwame Abayomi. She was particularly happy about the legacy she left by serving for more than twenty years as the founding chairperson of the Annual "Everybody's Birthday Celebration". While still maintaining her membership at Unity, Roxie became a watchcare member of Eastern United Methodist Church in Baltimore in 1997. At Eastern, she became a faithful member of the Bulletin Committee, the UMW, the Board of Child Care Auxiliary and the KISS Ministry. With the UMW, she continued her tradition of chairing "Everybody's Birthday Celebration" for two more years, Roxie also attended Vacation Bible School. She had a thirst for knowing GOD's word and having a closer relationship with GOD. In June 2002, Roxie fulfilled one of her longtime dreams by returning to the town of her birth and living in the home that she and Elroy had purchased and placed on the land that she and her brothers and sisters had diligently worked on during her early years in Laurens. After returning to Laurens, she became an associate member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. When not able to attend church physically, she was a faithful listener of the church services on the radio. A Past Grand Matron of Rebecca Chapter No. 2 of OES of AR, Roxie was blessed by GOD to have a phenomenal memory of detail. She loved to talk, listen to the radio and TV, read her Bible with devotions, fellowship and travel. Even when her health began to fail, Roxie continued her ministry of caring by making certain that all of her loved ones and friends received a birthday, get well, Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. card. This ministry was one of her passions. Roxie was a faithful and loving servant of our awesome GOD, who loved her family and friends and loved to help others whenever and wherever she could. Her conversations were intense, and her smile and laughter were contagious. The joy of Lord was her strength, and she showed her love of Jesus to all she met. Roxie passed on to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 13, 2005, after an extended illness. She was preceded in death by two sons, 2nd Lt. Michael Miles Mitchell and Donald Edward Mitchell, Sr. and one brother, Floyd Robertson. Surviving are: her mother-in-law, Mozelle I. Mitchell; two sons, Willie B. Mitchell, Jr. ("Jacko") and Kenneth S. Mitchell; three daughters, Irene M. Gillis, Veronica A. Odum and Deborah D. Brown; two sons-in-law, Howard J. Gillis and Vance A. Odum; two brothers, Elisha Robertson, Jr. and Bennie Lee Robertson; five sisters, Flossie Mae Cooper and Lola M. Matthews of Baltimore, MD, Margaret V. Motes of Laurens, SC, Sarah V. Murphy and C. Lucille Robertson of Brooklyn, NY; eleven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; special cousins, and friends, Diane Robertson, Bennie Latimer, Min. Mary Neely and O. T. Neely; and a host of other neices, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Roxie House

February 5, 1926 - April 13, 2005