Rosalie R. "Rosie" Denton
May 24th, 1926 - April 26th, 2021
Living Until You Die

Rosalie R. "Rosie" Denton was born May 24, 1926 in Alden Kansas, not far from Wichita, the last girl born to a wheat farmer and homemaker. Rosie grew up with three sisters and 2 brothers. When her Daddy left wheat farming for other work the family moved into Ulysses, Kansas, near the Kansas/Colorado border and the OK panhandle where with newly electrified Western Kansas, Ulysses, like other Western Kansas communities looked forward to a growing economy when the American Great Depression hit followed by the ravages of what was described as the worst drought to hit North America in 1000 years during the 1930's. Rosie lived in that corridor as a child that saw the sky turn black on April 4, 1935 as the farmlands from Canada to Texas was turned upside down in a great dust storm. Growing up in those days in Western Kansas had to have given her a sense of perseverance that few places or people could have provided.

Just as she started High School the US entered WWII and the effect on that Great War had an impact on everyone, and we can imagine the effect on young Rosie who saw young men, friends, and even relatives head off for war. When she finished High School she took a short stint at Kansas State University in Manhattan, but within a year came back home to work for the Grant County Court Clerk in 1946. Grant County and Western, KS was experiencing an oil boom with large amounts of drilling across the area. Day in and out she would assist engineers, land men, and other oil field workers with drilling permits, and managing the business of the County. One day into her office walked a handsome young engineer, Stephen Denton, who was a part of oil and gas drilling. Talk about sparks flying from the drilling rig! Within a year Stephen and Rosie were married in 1947.

Stephen and OU graduate and a WWII vet worked for most of his career with AMOCO, and together he and Rosie traveled across the Southwest as Stephen rose in the ranks of AMOCO. The Korean War interrupted their new marriage of 5 years when Stephen was re-commissioned and sent to Korea for a year while Rosie stayed home, and pregnant with Trish. Once again, Rosie found herself in a season that called for tough perseverance, managing home, tending to what was important. Stephen arrived home after Trish was 2 months old, and within a few short years Rosie and Stephen welcomed in Becky and their brother.

They moved from city to city with AMOCO, from Tulsa to OKC, Kansas, Ft. Worth, Houston, back to Tulsa, and every time there was a move, Rosie made it seem like and adventure. Trish and Becky noted that with only one exception (when Becky was asked to move her senior year) did a move seem onerous, instead Rosie made them seem like a great opportunity for adventure, friends, new experiences.

When their only son turned sixteen they suffered the tragic and quick death when he died quite unexpectedly. Again, Rosie, rolled up her sleeves to find a way to press forward and to continue living. In every community she not only was a devoted homemaker, but also volunteered at hospitals, agencies, PTA, church. She enjoyed cooking and keeping house, and when Stephen retired in 1979 in Tulsa, they looked on those years as another adventure, buying a lake house, spending endless hours with her passion of fishing. For nearly a decade together she and Stephen traveled to Las Vegas, enjoyed Cruises, Casinos spent time with family in Midland, fished, and enjoyed each other, but after a challenging illness, Stephen died in 1989 and for 8 years Rosie, once more faced the challenges of loss and living alone. What did she do? She took up a major volunteer with Children's Medical Center, creating and managing the Thrift Store that still exists to this day.

In the mid-90's Rosie and friends would get their exercise walking in the mall regularly. She began noticing a cowboy, who she learned was involved with horses, and after a short time she agreed to build a new home and life with Charlie Stratton. In 1997, as a new couple they moved into their new home. For a wonderful season of twelve years, Rosie and Charlie enjoyed traveling, playing the slots at Casinos, fishing at her lake home on Grand Lake and loving life. Charlie embraced Rosie's family and took on the role as grandfather as if all those grandchildren had been his own. When Charlie died in 2012, we would expect most people would decide that life was nearing the end and time to withdraw, but not Rosie
Denton. Still loving people, loving life, enjoying the fellowship of friends she found comfort and companionship again with those friends who exercised in the mall. As she walked those miles she noticed a fine handsome gentleman who didn't walk with them but was always present, paying attention. After meeting Ed Grant, Rosie said, "yes" to his proposal and together they built a wonderful home life for eight years as they lived together as they shared in fellowship with friends at Blue Bluff, Village Inn for breakfasts, playing bunko, and always fishing, until keeping the lake house became too much for her.

The last year was particularly difficult for Rosie as COVID shut down the social contacts and fellowship that had become such an important part of her life. After a season of declining health and being too isolated from loved ones Rosie died, April 26, 2021, just short of 95 years. Rosie meets in death her parents, two sisters, and one brother, her son, husband Stephen, husband, Charlie. She leaves behind her daughters and their families and a host of friends.

Viewing will be 12noon - 8pm, Monday, May 3, 2021 and the family will receive friends from 5-7pm at Moore's Southlawn Funeral Home. The Memorial Service will be 11 am, Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at Moore's Southlawn Chapel, 9350 E. 51st Street, Tulsa, OK. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions in Rosie's name to: Children Medical Charities Association, 1020 S. Rockford, Suite F, Tulsa, OK 74120. Services are under the direction of Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233