Rest In Peace, Mother Rose

Late last year, a light went out in Sacramento’s African American community. Georgia Rose Peat West, affectionately known as “Mother Rose” by friends, family, and community members, died on December 23 in her Oak Park home, just a quarter of a mile from where she grew up.

One month later, over 1,000 people bid her farewell at a packed Saint Paul Church of Sacramento. One of her sons said that the family decided that Mother Rose’s memorial shouldn’t be rushed. Given the life that Georgia lived, they decided they had to “go big.”

As a result of that decision, Sacramento may have never seen a more joyous home going.

Midway through the service, Georgia’s second son, Ronald West, shared a beautiful video tribute to his mother, set to the music of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You.”

There was rafter-raising singing, by way of Saint Paul’s choir and a stellar set of soloists, including Grammy Award-winning gospel artists Erica Campbell (from Mary Mary), BeBe Winans, and Lady Tramaine Hawkins, who’s “Goin’ Up Yonder” lifted our spirits and reminded us that Mother Rose was in a better place. Campbell delivered a heartfelt “Amazing Grace.” And with his brilliant version of Donnie McClurkin’s “Stand,” Winans reminded us of all we can do when the words just don’t come, and we’ve done all we can.

Attendees were also blessed by a stirring a cappella version of “Georgia On My Mind” by Patricia Burks and Nicole West.

Oh, there were tears shed. One couldn’t help that, reflecting on a life that was so well lived in the service of those around her. Mother Rose was so committed to helping others that, according to her eldest son (and Sacramento’s first black mayor) Kevin Johnson, she didn’t share details of her 10 year cancer battle to most for years, because she didn’t want to draw attention to herself.

There were plenty of laughs, too, which was befitting of Mother Rose, during the three hour service. Comedian Dru Burks had the crowd in stitches, as did Kevin’s stories of a fiercely protective Mother Rose. No one in attendance will ever hear the name “Moesha” the same way again, after hearing Kevin’s version of his mom separating a stalker from her son during his days with the NBA.

Another funny tale involved Mother Rose getting a little carried away cheering court side for her son and high-kicking a shoe into the stands, where it struck a fan in the head. The fan threatened to sue the family, the team, and the NBA unless Kevin apologized.

He gladly did, he said, on behalf of a mother who cared enough to get that excited during her son’s time on the basketball court, as she did for every single game.

Even those who knew Mother Rose well may have learned something during the service. She became a mom at 17 years old, graduated from high school a year later, and travelled to Vietnam to sing for our troops in 1967. After returning home, she earned a nursing degree from Sacramento City College and gradated in 1972 before working as a registered nurse for 27 years in the ICU, telemetry unit, and the ER at Kaiser Hospital in Sacramento, Merritt Peralta Hospital in Oakland, and Lincoln and Desert Samaritan hospitals in Phoenix. In her honor, the Capital City Black Nurses Association has endowed a scholarship in her name.

Many attendees knew Mother Rose as a fixture in Oak Park, having founded Underground Books (one of the only remaining black-owned bookstores in the country) in 2003, where she often worked, welcoming visitors with a smile, and daring them to leave without becoming customers. She also hired dozens of Sacramento High School students there. Each year, she presented the Peat Scholarship (named after her family) to a Sac High School student who embodied the school’s motto, “Service To Others.”

That was also Mother Rose’s unspoken mantra.

In 2014, she was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, and doctors told her that she would likely live only another 18 months. Upon hearing that, many attendees smiled and dried our tears, lifting our hands above our heads in thanks. While we had to say goodbye to Mother Rose far too soon, she had lived a blessed life.

The eulogy was given by Saint Paul Church of Sacramento’s Lead Pastor, Kenneth R. Reece, and was entitled “A Woman Who Needs No Eulogy.” She really didn’t. Mother Rose’s life, in tireless service to others, was her eulogy.

Georgia is survived by her sons, Kevin Johnson and Ronald West; her daughter-in-law, Michelle Johnson; the Brownstone family; and her St. HOPE community

Written by Michael Coleman, Director of External Affairs, Sierra Donor Services