Roosevelt Terrance LaMonte "Roze" Hursey, Sr.

              Roosevelt Terrance LaMonte “Roze” Hursey Sr., of 170 Clearview St. South Bend, Indiana, was born to Ernest and Bernett Hursey on November 11, 1978 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From his first appearance on a Milwaukee freeway en route to Mount Sinai Hospital, it was clear Roosevelt would move at his own pace and on his own time. In his youth Roosevelt (or Terrance, as he was called then) ran from Milwaukee’s Hopkins St. Elementary to his hard knock education at Columbia Park each and every day with tireless desire to compete. During Roosevelt’s early teenage years, things started to change: the Hursey family moving 4 hours south, back to his mother’s hometown, South Bend. The first year he attended Navarre Intermediate Center afterwards attending Washington, then Adams, and finally Riley High School. Roosevelt always had a kind heart and with his competitive spirit on the basketball court, building lifelong friendships on the “Lakeside” seemed almost effortless. From his youth into adulthood having a never quit attitude and willingness to help became the two reasons he stood out to so many as a genuinely good dude.

               Just after his freshman year, the Hursey family relocated once more to the southeast side of South Bend, where Roosevelt met Sommer Lax whom he made his wife and who became the mother of his three children: MarShawn Hursey, Roosevelt Hursey Jr., and Madison Hursey. Many years later Roze and Sommer chose to go their separate ways. After a decade had passed Roze’s family was growing again, this time by 3 to include Karla McFarland, significant other, Jaylin McFarland, son, and Alana Heisben, daughter. On May 15, 2014 Roze received yet another blessing when Karla gave birth to Jordan Terrance Hursey, adding to their family a fourth son.

               Roze completed the IVY Tech welding program to provide for his family and worked as a welder at General Sheet Metal for several years, often working 7 days a week. Yet, with seemingly boundless energy, Roze continued to pursue his passions as a father, a local contractor, a pool player, chess novice and barber. On top of it all, his friends say he was beginning to find his peace and no one could miss his new love affair with nice cars and motorcycles.

               Sadly on July 26, 2017 Roze was involved in an untimely accident while working on a car. In the end, Roze fought off his injuries for four days, until July 30th when he finally found that rest - the rest his brother Lawrence saw his brother truly needed. And it should be remembered down to his last moments, he remained the same selfless servant his family and friends knew him to be. Roosevelt was an organ donor and all of his organs were successfully gifted to others.

               For his children Roosevelt leaves behind two pillars of strength, his parents, Ernest and Bernett; continued guidance in his siblings, Glenisha Rae Davis, Erika Frances Hursey, Tina Jackson, Ernest Francis Hursey Jr. and Lawrence Micheal Hursey;  all the love they could ever need in an innumerable total of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and one very special grandson, Jayce Hursey.

               He was a man that you could count on and Roosevelt Terrance LaMonte Hursey Sr., in the words of his mother, “Whether on the barbeque grill, providing a haircut, or being there in a time of need, Roze made you feel respected and welcome just as you were. He came too soon and left too early.”

               Visitation for Roosevelt will be held Monday, August 7, 2017 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at New Horizons Outreach Ministry, 56165 Mayflower Rd., South Bend, IN 46619. Services will start at 1:00 pm and burial will follow at Southlawn Cemetery.

               A contribution account has been set up for the education of Roosevelt’s children and grandchildren at Teachers Credit Union under the name Roosevelt T. Hursey Sr., contributions can be made at any TCU branch or via mail to 110 S. Main St. South Bend, IN 46601.  Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com. 

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