Rosella Woods

Rosella Bantz Woods, Age 94, of Safford, passed away on Monday, April 26, 2010 at the Sunset Hills Care Center in Safford. Rosella Bantz Woods was born on February 27, 1916 in Ridge Farm, Illinois, to Frank Otis Bantz and Maude Busby. She had an older brother James Charles Bantz. The family lived in Illinois for the first two and a half years of Rosellas life then they moved to Howard, Kansas. Her father and grandfather Bantz owned a wheat and cattle ranch there. Rosellas mother died when she was twelve years old. She moved with her father back to Illinois, so she could be around her mothers family. She attended school in Kansas, and was in the seventh grade at the time her mother passed away. She attended High School in Illinois, and was married to Lyniel Fitzsimmons during her senior year. He died early in life and she married after sometime which ended in divorce. She later met and married Loren Woods, and he died in 1986. Loren and Rosella met in California and they later came to Arizona to make their home. While she was in California she attended Orange Coast College, studying to become a nurse. She worked at hospitals and private homes as a nurse. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1966. She often said she did not know what she would do without the gospel of Jesus Christ in her life. Rosella loved the outdoors, pines and loved any flower and she had a green thumb. She was very fond of camping out and loved the ocean and beach. She liked to read especially poetry; music also was one of her great loves; she took pride in her home and was quite a home body. She loved this valley and the people, and was very grateful for the help and kindness they gave to her. She was a visiting teacher for many years and always enjoyed this service to her Relief Society sisters. Rosella was the only member of her family who belonged to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 30, 2010 at The Caldwell Funeral Chapel, 112 East Main Street, in Safford. Interment will be in the Thatcher Cemetery.