Ozie Mae Talbert

Ozie Mae Talbert, 82, of Rockford, Illinois, departed this earthly life on Thursday, January 11, 2022, in her home with her loving family by her bedside.

Ozie Mae was born November 11, 1939, in Jericho, Arkansas to the late Willie Mae Garrett-Wright and OZ Garrett. She was raised in Michigan City, Indiana and moved to Rockford, Illinois in 1969 where she met the love of her life, Clemmie Lee Talbert. Clemmie and Ozie married on June 28, 1969 in Rockford.

Ozie Mae, a family matriarch and a retired nurse, had an amazing sense of humor that kept people smiling and rolling in laughter. She worked a number of years as a machinist and a Certified Nursing Assistant before she returned to school and received her General Education Diploma and Licensed Practical Nursing Diploma in 1988. She worked the last 20 years of her career as a charge nurse for Wesley Willows Health Center. Ozie Mae was a very kind and compassionate nurse that loved geriatric nursing, and gave her all to her patients and their families.

In 1991, Ozie Mae gave her life to Christ and became saved and sanctified. She loved the Lord and loved being saved. She would always say that if she knew that being saved was this wonderful, she would have been saved early on in life. She was a member of St. Paul Church of God in Christ where she served in the Hospitality ministry and the Mothers Board. She was a prayer warrior that symbolized strength and wisdom. The light of Christ within her touched many souls throughout her life.

Ozie Mae was dedicated and devoted to her family. She leaves to cherish her memories; daughters Cassandra Wimbush-Craigmiles (Charles Robinson), Kimberley (Richard Jr.) Franklin, Stacie Talbert Scott, all of Rockford, Illinois; sister Tina (Damion) Wright-Holmes of Lithonia, Georgia; brothers Spencer (Susie) Wright, Jr. and Emmitt Wright, all of Michigan City, Indiana; special cousins Mattie Wilkins and Annie Bridges of Michigan City, Indiana; 12 grandchildren including Courtney Talbert and Jasmine Talbert who she helped raise; 11 great-grandchildren; 16 great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, all of whom she loved dearly. 

Preceded in death by Clemmie Lee Talbert; sons Keith Wimbush and Kevin Wimbush; son in-law Edward Charles Scott; parents OZ Garrett, Willie Mae Garrett-Wright, and Spencer Wright, Sr.; sisters Ora V. Torrance, Alice Garrett, Narareth Garrett, Rachel Wright-Williams, and Lillian Hewlett; brother Cornelius Wayne Wright, brother in-law David Torrance, Jr; maternal grandparents, Willie Gerron, and Irene Lofton-Gerron; and paternal grandparents, Sam Garrett and Alice Cole-Garrett. 

The funeral service for Ozie Mae is scheduled for Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Paul Church of God in Christ located at 1001 Bishop Washington Avenue, Rockford, Illinois. A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens located at 8800 N. Alpine Rd., Machesney Park, Illinois 61115. Repast will be held following the interment in the Sunset Funeral Home Chapel.

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