Regina Douglas Kietzer

Regina Douglas Kietzer, 92, died at her home in Gulfport Friday, October 24 after a long illness. She was born August 6, 1916, in Wayne County,
Mississippi, and was known for her love of people and her beautiful gardens, prize-winning roses, and flower arrangement designs which won numerous awards. She was known as the """"Rose Matriarch"""" in this community.
Before her illness she could often be seen from early morning to late afternoon in her Old English-style garden among as many as 450 varieties
of roses that she grew. Regina also loved to entertain and was happiest when her house was full of family, friends and anyone who might just drop by. She had many great stories, one of which was having had tea with Mamie Eisenhower, when Mamie's husband was President. She never met a stranger and considered people from all walks of life as her friends.
Regina met her husband, Arnold Kietzer, on the Gulf Coast and they married in 1953. The family traveled with Arnold as he was transferred around the world while working with the National Security Agency. Regina kept the children in the U.S. though living in California, Idaho, New York, and the Washington D.C. area transforming every home into a showplace. While in the D.C. area, she was active in the Allview Presbyterian Church, garden clubs and many other civic and community activates, and in 1968, they moved to the Coast. After Arnold worked with Rowan Oil Company in Venezuela where they lived a short time, they retired and became active in the National Rose Society and Camellia Society and enjoyed traveling and their many friends who visited the area. Nature was Regina's passion and everywhere she lived she was involved in helping to create beautiful gardens and educating people in the community about this love. She loved to share what she knew and whatever she had in her garden.
Regina was preceded in death by her parents, Ezra Warren and Maggie Patrick Douglas, her first husband Ralph Mozingo, who was killed in the
Pacific in World War II; her husband of forty-four years, Arnold; her son, Lawrence; son-in-law Jim MaGee; brothers Norman, Emory, George, E.W. Jr.and Lamar; and her sister Olga Lewis.
She is survived by her daughter Suzanne (McVadon) MaGee; brother Bunyon Douglas and his wife Barbara, and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Dr. Tom Blanks and the Memorial Hospice team, especially Rosetta Miller, Vickie Johnson, Linda Koury, Mary Page, Marguerita Swetman and Flossie Turner. In addition, her special friends
that supported the family throughout the years, particularly Nancy and Tom O'Fallon, Emmit and Linda Thames, Grace Gordon, and Sharon Hayes. The family is also grateful to the many caregivers she had through the
years; Betty Ferrill, Edna Toms and especially Donna Dykes.
Services will be held Wednesday, October 29 at the RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOMES on Three Rivers Road. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. followed by the service at 11. Burial will be in the family cemetery at Providence United Methodist Church in State Line, MS later
Memorials may be made to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport Hospice, P.O. Box 1810, Gulfport, MS 39502.