Rose, Darlene

Missionary, Author Was Captured By Japanese In World War II

  • Sunday, February 29, 2004

Darlene Mae McIntosh Rose died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004.

She was born on May 10, 1917, and grew up with an ailing father and hardworking mother. At the age of nine, she put her trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved. At 13 during a Dr. R.R. Brown revival meeting, she felt the hand of God urging her to go forward and give her life to missions for Christ. She joined the Christian and Missionary Alliance for training. While taking the training she married a pioneer missionary to Dutch Indonesia, Russell Deibler.

In 1942 they were captured by the Japanese during World War II and interned in different prison camps. Her husband died in 1944, but she lived and was liberated in the fall of 1945. She returned to her family who lived in Los Angeles, and she recuperated there.

Sensing again God’s call to return, she made preparations to do so. Then God completed her preparations by sending her a new pioneer missionary husband, Jerry Rose, who had a heart for the stone age tribes of Papua, New Guinea. They ministered there through 1988 and raised two sons.

Because of the political climate after the Dutch left, however, they moved to Australia and continued their mission work.

By 1993 their health had gone down so much that they had to go into semi-retirement in Creighton, Neb. In 2001 Jerry and Darlene moved to Chattanooga because of their health. Two churches (Faith Bible Church and Woodland Park Baptist Church) combined their efforts to care for these two dear warriors of the faith.

Together, Darlene and Jerry were used of God to bring hundreds of aborigines to the Lord and disciplining them to Christ. They were also instrumental in beginning several indigenous churches that are pastored by natives.

Darlene is perhaps best known for her book of experiences during World War II titled "Evidence Not Seen." She traveled extensively throughout the English-speaking world sharing the love and the power of Jesus Christ from her World War II experiences.

Darlene died on Tuesday in a local retirement home. She was preceded in death by sister, Helen Anderson.

She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Gerald Rose of Chattanooga; two sons, Brian Rose of Australia and Bruce Rose of Austria; six grandchildren, Sarah, David, Rebekah, Katja, Michael and Lauren; two brothers, Donald W. McIntosh and Ray A. McIntosh.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday at Woodland Park Baptist Church with Dr. Bill Henry, Kay Arthur, Ruth Bell Graham and the Rev. John Meador officiating.

Interment will be in Chattanooga Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Sunday from 7-9 p.m. at the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home and on Monday from noon-1 p.m. at Woodland Park Baptist Church.

Memorial contributions may be made to Faith Bible Church or Woodland Park Baptist Church for the Jerry and Darlene Rose Benevolence Fund, 5652 Old Hunter Road, Ooltewah, TN 37363.

Arrangements are by the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.

Share your thoughts and memorials online at www.mem.com.

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