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Welcome to the memorial page for
Audrey J. (Rouse) Holmes
June 8, 1931 ~ April 27, 2016 (age 84) 84 Years OldShare using:
Audrey J. Holmes, a long time resident of South Bend, passed away on April 27, 2016 at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. Audrey was the oldest of six children born to Thomas and Florence Rouse. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 8, 1931. She grew up in Lincoln, Illinois to a family that loved God.
After graduating from Lincoln Community High School, she moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she met her future husband Jimmie (Sonny) Holmes. They were married in Lincoln, Illinois in 1952. To this union, three children were born, Florence Denise, Jerome Miguel and Audrey Ann.
Audrey joined Pilgrim Baptist Church in South Bend, Indiana in 1954, where she was active in the Gospel Choir, Mass Choir and Vera Gannaway Missionary Circle. Audrey went to Evelyn Elite Beauty School in South Bend. After finishing her education, she started her cosmetology career. She worked at Ingram’s Beauty Shop until she received her license and started her own shop in the basement of her home.
Audrey retired at 62 from her cosmetology practice and moved into Trinity Towers. She was always helping others, taking people to the grocery store, to church, and just sharing a meal. For three months, she assisted in the care of her son-in-law's parents in San Francisco. She was an avid traveler. She even attended the 2008 Obama Inauguration in Washington, DC.
She was a talented artist, crocheted beautiful throw blankets and made refrigerator doll magnets. She even had a Facebook page. Her love for children led her to join the Foster Grandparent Program at Monroe School in 1995.
On December 19th, 2015, due to illness, Audrey agreed to move closer to her family in Sacramento, California. On April 27th, she departed to her new home, where there is no more pain and suffering.
Those who preceded her in death are her mother, father, and sister, Norma Jean. She leaves her loving children; daughter, Florence Denise Thurman (Richard) of San Francisco, California; son, Jerome Holmes of Houston, Texas; and daughter, Audrey Ann Holmes also of Sacramento, California; five grandchildren; four great grandsons; and siblings, Milton Rouse (Eloise) of Chicago, Illinois, John Rouse (Elizabeth) of Sacramento, California, Francis Hood of Chicago, Illinois, and Rose Mary McLain of Oakland, California. She will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, May 9, 2016 at Pilgrim Baptist Church, 116 Birdsell Street, South Bend, Indiana. Graveside services and burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 - 11:00 am Monday in the church prior to services. Palmer Funeral Home - West Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.
Online condolences may be left for the Holmes family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.
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