By ETHEL SKIPPER
A Good Samaritan came to the Sopchoppy community. Many called her Mama Charlotte. She was from Hyde Park and the daughter of Goldwire and Alberta Harris.
At the age of 14, she moved to Sopchoppy and lived with the Morrisons. They were her second family. At the age of 19, she was joined in holy matrimony to John E. Rosier. To this union nine children were born: Ezella, John Jr., Ethel Mae, Alberta, Joseph, Merddie, Ruth and Mary.
Proverbs 31:10 asks a very important question: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”
Mama Charlotte Harris Rosier was inded a virtuous woman. She had many attributes, including love, humility, faith, strength, patience, generostiy, integrity, kindess, courage, suffering and wisdom – just to name a few.
She was a woman who knew she was of great worth to God. She had a special kind of heart and reached out to those in need. She was an inspiration to her family, church and community.
In addition to raising her own children, Mama Charlotte raised many foster children and provided food, clothes, medicine, day care, elder care and rehabilitation and medical service to numerous others in her family and community.
She also purchased property on which she built homes and moved trailers to accommodate the homeless. Many of the elderly people died in her home.
Prior to Mama Charlotte’s death, in 1989 the Rosier Family came together in February of each year for the annual Charlotte and John Rosier Day. The Charlotte Rosier Quality Care Home opened on March 1, 1990 in Tallahassee in her honor. The home was operated by Wendy Gavin Beard, Mama Charlotte’s granddaughter and her husband Dr. Timothy Beard, and provided service to moderate minimal and severely disabled individuals offering transportation, home training and other related services.
In 1999, the Rosier children dediced the Charlotte Harris Rosier Memorial Outreach Cetner. The purpose is to honor the many contributions she made to the community. Mama Charlotte always wanted singing, praise and shouting, preaching to be a part of the celebration.
The annual celebration is held at various locations in the month of July and honors the legacy of Mama Charlotte and her husband, John Rosier Sr.
The Rosier family continues to pass on the principles and traditions of their parents to the generations that follow.
The children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and foster children of the late John and Charlotte Rosier continue to broaden and sustain the family’s lasting legacy.
Her love, generosity and personal commitment to her family will continue to live on.
