Rosalie Ann (Wood) Evans

Rosalie Ann (Wood) Evans went lovingly into the arms of Jesus on September 9, after a very brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Florence, OR to Austin and Mary (Kallunki) Wood the youngest of three children with many years between her and her siblings. Rosalie grew up in Florence and graduated from Siuslaw High School in 1976, a milestone that began her lifelong journey of learning and pouring into others.

Rosalie’s life was one of testimony, restoration, and joy. Prior to her move to Albany she worked for head start in Portland. Many in the Albany community knew her as “Miss Rosie” during her years of teaching at Albany Christian Preschool, where she poured love, patience, and encouragement into the lives of her students.

In 2015, Rosalie met the love of her life, George Evans, and on August 30, 2018, they were married in the presence of family and close friends. As the couple said “I do,” a rainbow stretched across the sky, a reminder of God’s promises fulfilled. Through her marriage, Rosalie embraced her new family, gaining two grandsons and cherishing the gift of being present for her granddaughter Ashlin’s life from the very beginning. Ashlin quickly became Rosalie’s forever baby, and their bond was one of her greatest joys.

Rosalie later felt called to walk alongside women in the community, offering resources, encouragement, and hope as they pursued sobriety. Whether through her women’s groups, her art, or her one-on-one support, Rosalie’s impact will be felt for generations to come.

She was endlessly creative and expressed her love of beauty in many ways—painting, felting, crafting, and teaching piano. She had a fondness for rocks, diamonds, animals, and collecting small squishies with Ashlin. She adored the color pink, but above all, she adored Jesus.

Most recently, Rosalie was a dedicated member of Free on the Inside, a church that ministers to adults in recovery. She and George took pride in sharing their testimonies together, sowing seeds of hope in the lives of many.

Rosalie was preceded in death by her beloved sister and best friend Liz (2012), whose memory she honored by adopting her loyal dog and sidekick, named Lizzie. She was also preceded in death by her parents and her nephew, Erik Wood.

She is survived by her husband, George Evans; her stepdaughter Amber (Kyle) Deets; her stepson-in-law Joseph Sult; her grandchildren Bronson, Oaklen, and her favorite girl in the world, Ashlin. She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law Joseph and Dorothy Wood of Albany; nephew and his wife Mike and Summer Wood with their children Moriah and Erik Wood of Salem; niece and her husband Beth and Kurt Powell with their children Eleanor, Julia, and Lucy Powell of Albany. Rosalie is also deeply missed by her Evans in-laws, who welcomed her with love and cherished her as part of their family.

Rosalie would not want her story to be remembered through the lens of illness, but through the light of God’s grace and the beauty she saw in the world. She often reminded those around her that there is far more good, joy, and beauty than there is ugliness—and her life was a reflection of that truth.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 28th from 2-4 p.m. at Willamette Community Church in Albany, Oregon. All are welcome to join family and friends to celebrate her life!