Rose Mary Stamps

Rose Mary Green Stamps was born March 31, 1937, to Eugene and Mary (Angotti) Green of Kansas City, MO. Rose grew up with her five brothers, Frank, John, Joe, Richard, and Vince, and one sister, Patty, and a large extended Italian family in Northeast Kansas City, MO. She cherished her times with her grandmother, Teresa Angotti, and her Aunt Ernie. Rose attended Cardinal Glennon High School in Kansas City, MO before moving to Wichita, KS for work. Working as a waitress in Wichita, Rose met the love of her life, Lewis Wesley Stamps. Following a brief engagement, Lewis sold his pet cow, bought Rose an engagement ring, and Rose and Lewis were married in Kansas City, MO on July 21, 1956.

Living in Northeast Kansas City, Rose found joy in hobbies such as ceramics, crocheting, and hosting Avon parties. These activities gave her opportunity to laugh, talk, drink coffee, and meet new people. Rose didn’t know a stranger and was the first to offer all she could to others. Rose became fond of keeping up with local and national news with her weekly subscription to The National Enquire. She didn’t miss a week of knowing the news of movie stars and politicians while finding every word in the tabloid’s back-of-the-cover word search.  

A job at the Sears Credit Department in Kansas City began Rose’s career as a long-term Sears and Roebuck employee. Rose had a love for retail sales and quickly moved to a store assistant manager and later store manager. Her stores were always impeccably clean, and merchandise was always in order. Sears gave Rose the opportunity to meet people, find good bargains, but most of all create life-long friendships.

Rose and Lewis purchased land in Independence, MO in 1970, built their own home, and continued to raise their family on Highland Drive. The home gave Rose space to celebrate her Italian heritage by hosting large family gatherings where she served meals lovingly prepared in her mushroom clad kitchen. Her clean home was always open to friends and family for visiting, card games, or a hot cup of coffee and an Italian cookie. Rose began each day with prayer to Heavenly Father giving gratitude for her abundance of life. She then applied her perfect makeup, fixed her hair, added a pair of earrings, and presented herself to others with her beautiful smile.

In the Fall of 1997, Lewis said to Rose, “Green acres is the place for me!” Rose replied, “Independence is where I’d rather be!” Lewis responded, “Farm livin’ is the life for me!” and with that said, Lewis and Rose moved to the Stamps Family Farm in Osage, AR. The farm life in Osage gave Rose many new life experiences. Bottle feeding calves, water from a spring, and the beauty of God’s creation for miles to see. Rose quickly made new friends and reacquainted herself with Lewis’ relatives.  Attending the Osage Baptist Church, Rose enjoyed Sunday School, Bible Study, and Sunday morning services. With retail sales still a passion, Rose was hired to be a cashier at the Alpena, AR Dollar General. Rose made quick time of the curvy country roads to make her way to Alpena for work. The theme stayed the same. Rose made lasting friends with each person she met. Rose finally retired at age 85 and spent her last year visiting family in Kansas City and CA while enjoying her dogs, birds, laundry, and friends in AR.

Rose was the loving mother of Lewis Wesley, Jr., Danny Phillip, Tommy Dean, and grandson Eric Dean. Family was a priority for Rose. She created special birthday celebrations for the boys, filled each holiday with over-the-top decorations and gifts, and ensured her boys were involved in church, Scouts, and all large family events. Rose taught her boys to love God, work hard, be honest, do right, and to love one another. Later, she would continue to share her loving kindness with grandson Nathan David, granddaughter Melanie Rose, and great granddaughter Ava Reese. All would receive carefully selected holiday greeting cards with special words doubled and triple underlined. Checks would arrive on birthdays with the dominations matching children’s ages. And seasoned oyster crackers were given just because.

Rose loved animals. Her dogs were her other kids! The dogs always had treats and they knew if they sat long enough, they would get the last bites of each meal. Rose’s bird feeders were always full and there was daily corn for the squirrels. She delighted in sitting each morning with a cup of hot coffee to watch the birds come and go from her feeders.

As Rose passes with the angles who surround her, may she be with her loving God and reunite with those who have gone before her. As we celebrate the life of Rose Mary Green Stamps, may we always hear the gentle ring of wind chimes and remember Rose in our hearts.

Rose is lovingly survived by her son Danny (Pegi) Stamps; grandsons Eric Stamps and Nathan (Mandi) Stamps; granddaughter Melanie Stamps; great granddaughter Ava Stamps; brothers Richard (Joanne) Green and Vince Cosentino; sister Patty Marchese; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visitation for Rose Mary Green Stamps will be held Monday, August 7, 2023, at Osage Baptist Church from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM followed by a graveside service at the Liberty Cemetery in Dinsmore, AR at 12:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Online condolences can be made at smithfamilyfuneralhome.net.

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