Rosa Dunn

Funeral services for Rosa “Granny” Dunn, 104, were held Tuesday at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church with burial in the Shady Dale Community Cemetery. The Rev. Phillip Marks officiated.
She died November 6 at her residence.

Mrs. Dunn was born April 15, 1899 to the late John Smith and Nancy Ware Smith in Putnam County. Her mother died when she was a child and her only sibling, a brother, died when she was 18.

She joined New Hope A.M.E. Church at an early age before moving her membership to Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in 1971. There she was affectionately known as “Mother of the Church.” She was often referred to as Mother Dunn, Miss Rose and Granny because she acted like a grandmother to several.

Mrs. Dunn was a member of United Sons and Daughters Lodge #1 and the Shiloh Burial Society. She spent a large portion of her life farming including jobs at the Pat Smith place in Eatonton and 33 years at the O.H. Banks place in Shady Dale.

She married the late Oscar Dunn on December 18, 1920 and though they had no children of their own together they helped raise many. He died in February 1989 after 68 years of marriage.
Mrs. Dunn was declared legally blind in 1995 but was still able to care for herself and lived alone until three years ago.

Prior to her 100th birthday in 1999 she was featured in The Monticello News. She described her secret to life’s longevity as follows:
“You must depend on the Lord, trusting in him. He takes care of everybody, but not everybody serves him. Obey the good book and you’ll live a long life. I must have obeyed too good.”

Survivors include her cousins, Minnie Jackson of Eatonton and Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Lee Sadler of Athens; two adopted families, Jimmy Davis and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Marks and family including her live-in guardian Josephine Marks.

Smith & Sons Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.