Two well-known local sisters lived in Pike for more than 100 years and passed away within weeks of each other.
Rosalee Mangham King, 105, died Dec. 17 and her sister Lucy Grace Mangham Ward, 102, died Dec. 12. Both sisters lived nearly their entire lives in Lifsey Springs and both attended Beulah Baptist Church for most of their lives.
The two sisters were world renowned when they earned the title of the Five Oldest Siblings In the World by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2018. The siblings had a combined age of 490 years old in 2018 when the title was awarded to them. The story of the five siblings spread across the globe as various TV stations filmed them as they shared their testimonies and stories with viewers across the nation and beyond. In each interview, they emphasize the importance of love, family and faith in order to have a happy life. Their humor has also shown through in each interview and their inner joy shone.
Their brother W.D. Mangham was the first of the crew to pass away at age 97.
See full obituary information on page 3A for Rosalee King and Grace Ward.
Rosalee loved Christmas and for many years would send out special cards that featured a photo of her with a funny phrase.
In one, she is sitting in a convertible and the card says, “Rosa on the go, Happy Holidays.”
The card from 2007 featured Rosalee in a hot air balloon and said, “Rosa taking a flight for her 91st birthday.”
For this Christmas card, Rosalee, she sits on motorcycle with a leather jacket and do-rag and the card says, “Ho-Ho-Ho, Rosa is still on the go!”
For one Christmas card, she was sitting on an old antique tractor and it said, “Peace on Earth, Rosa still gardening!” For another, she was sitting in a wagon with two mules and it said, “Merry Chrismtas, Rosa going west.”
For one card, she was wearing camo and holding a deer rifle on a four wheeler and it said, “Happy holidays, Rosa went hunting.”
“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, with the economy in the slump, hope it doesn’t come to this again,” said a card that showed her plowing with a mule. Another featured a photo of her milking a cow and said, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Rosa working at the dairy.”
One card showed her cutting her lawn on her riding mower and it said, “Merry Christmas, Rosa still on the go, cutting leaves at 94.”
Yet another card showed her riding in a parade and said, “Rosa rides in a Rumble seat, grand marshal of the Molena Fest, up to new tricks at 96.”
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