Pawnee — Rosa Lee Stevens, 84, of Pawnee, Illinois, died Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. She was born July 18, 1935, at Memorial in Springfield, the daughter of Gordon Lee and Pauline R. Renfro Galloway. She married Walter A. Stevens on Aug. 4, 1957, and to this union, three daughters were born. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Rosa Lee graduated from Pawnee High School in 1953 and Millikin University in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in music education. She taught music in several area schools for many years and played the organ and piano for churches in Pawnee and Auburn for 50 years. She also was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Pawnee Chapter 436 and Daughters of the American Revolution.
Her family was important to her, and she was important to her family. She will be greatly missed, but she lives on in all of us. Her hobbies included quilting, gardening, music and reading.
Rosa Lee is survived by her husband of 62 years, Walter, of Pawnee; three daughters, Melinda (John) Howerton of Hiawatha, Iowa, Kathleen (Tom) Steece of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Rosemary (Troy) Mason of Piedmont, Oklahoma; 11 grandchildren, Amy (Marcel), Sarah (Nick), Steve (Teela), Emily (Dan), Daniel (Joy), David (Lilly), Rachael (Dustin), Melissa, Jacob, Ben and Jon; seven great-grandchildren, Colt, Jessica, Julia, Lucas, Audrey, Andrew and Amyra and one on the way; one brother, Glenn P. (wife, Cathy) Galloway, of Pawnee; one sister, Marie Marvin, of Pawnee; several nieces and nephews and two brothers-in-law..
Because of the coronavirus, a private funeral service will be held for Rosa Lee's family with Rev. Chuck Kurfman officiating. Family and friends may view a livestream video of the service at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 11, 2020, at facebook.com/curryfh/. A private burial will be held at Horse Creek Cemetery in Pawnee.
Curry Funeral Home in Pawnee is serving the family of Rosa Lee Stevens. Online condolences may be expressed at www.curryfh.com.