Page 33 - Florida Sentinel 3-29-19

Funerals
WILSON
MR. CLAYTON MAURICE WASHINGTON, SR.
A Memorial Celebration Service for Mr. Clayton Mau- rice Washington, Sr. will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at 12 noon at Wilson Fu- neral Home, 3000 N. 29th Street, Tampa, Florida, with Pastor Alfred Johnson of Faith Action Ministry Alliance, offici- ating.
Clayton M. Washington, Sr. was born on December 27th, 1949 in Waycross, Georgia to the parentage of Leroy Wash- ington and Gwendolyn Delores Higginbotham. Clayton gradu- ated from Jacksonville Beach Elementary School #144, and completed his education at Miami Central High School in Miami. He received his Bache- lor’s Degree from the Univer- sity of Tampa. He served and was employed at MacDill Air Force Base, where he retired after 30 plus years of service to our country.
Clayton left us on March 22, 2019.
Preceding him in death are: his parents, Leroy and Gwen- dolyn; sisters, Tanya and Au- drey; brother, Glasgow.
He leaves to cherish memo- ries of him with: his life part- ner, Andrea White; children, Rick Relford and wife, Lisa, Clayton Washington, Jr. and wife, Darlene, Stephanie Hopps and husband, Matt and Christopher Washington; brother, Melvin Harrell; sister, Verona Keeles. Clayton was surrounded by a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grands.
There will be a visitation on Saturday March 30, 2019, from 10 a. m. to 12 noon at Wilson Funeral Home prior to the service.
“A Wilson Service” www.wilson-funeralhome.com
Local Siblings Die Within 5 Days Of Each Other
MR. JAMES WILLIAMS
Homegoing for Mr. James “Jimmy” Williams, who passed on March 22, 2019, will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at 2 p. m. at Mission Hill Baptist, 10002 N. 56th Street, Temple Ter- race, Florida, with Pastor Zak Moussa, officiating. officiating. Interment will be held on Mon- day at Evergreen Cemetery, Lees- burg, Florida.
James “Jimmy” Williams was born in Leesburg, Florida on July 12, 1927, to the parentage of Isaac Williams and Emma Harden Williams. Jimmy moved to Man- hattan as a young teen to find work. He settled in Harlem and in time his artistic side broke through, as he became a profes- sional dancer, model, drummer and choreographer. He walked confidently down runways and performed all sorts of dancing from ballroom to ethnic dancing at such famed venues as the Cot- ton Club and the Savoy. Boxing, in Jimmy’s mind, was a natural progression from dancing.
He returned to Florida in the late 1960s and trained fighters in Orlando, where he was involved with the Police Athletic League CETA programs, as well was one of the founders of Church Street Boxing. It was there he helped young people turn their lives around. By helping many of them redirect their aggression and channel their energy into learn- ing the sweet science, Jimmy put many youngsters on a path that did not include prison.
Jimmy was part of the Alessi team in Tampa for many years. Williams is the man behind for- mer world light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, teach- ing Tarver the fundamentals of boxing going back to his amateur days. Some of the other fighters taught by Williams include, Cor- nelius Boza-Edwards, Brian Mitchell, and John “The Beast” Mugabi. His long-time service to the “sweet science” was recog- nized when he was inducted into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame inaugural class of 2009 in Tampa.
We are gathered here today to celebrate Jimmy’s life and passing on, he will be missed by friends, family and the world of boxing.
Jimmy was preceded in death by: his parents, Isaac Williams and Emma Harden Williams; siblings, Thelma, John Henry, and Buster.
Those who remain to cherish his memories are: son, Yao Williams; he was like a brother to, Michael Sharp, Willie Jane and Amp; Beverly Lemon, Shirley Dabney Butler; host of great nieces, nephews, cousins and other sorrowing friends.
There will be a viewing on Friday March 29, 2019, at Wilson Funeral Home, 3000 N. 29th Street, Tampa, Florida, from 5 - 8 p. m.
“A Wilson Service” www.wilson-funeralhome.com
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
This weekend, a Tampa family will hold funeral serv- ices for two of its members. The siblings died five days apart. Both were natives of Clayton, Alabama, but had been in Tampa for several years.
Mrs. Eldora S. Thomas passed away on March 19th. She had been a resident of Tampa for 77 years. She was a member of New Testament Worship Center for more than 40 years. She retired from MacDill Air Force Base where she worked for 28 years in the Base Exchange.
She is survived by her husband of 39 years, John- nie Thomas, 2 sons, and other family members and friends.
On March 24th, Mrs.
ELDORA S. THOMAS Thomas’ brother,
Matthew Starks died. Mr. Starks, known as “Mac” lived in the Port Tampa area. He served in the mili- tary and was a retired long- shoreman, serving as the foreman at the Pate Steve- doring Company.
His wife, Mrs. Lillie Mae Starks, preceded him in death. He was a fiercely protective family man. He is
MATTHEW STARKS
survived by his son, other family members and friends. The joint funeral will be held on Saturday, March 30th, at 11 a.m., at New Tes- tament Worship Center,
5107 E. 32nd Avenue.
Ray Williams Funeral
Home is in charge of han- dling arrangements.
PAGE 22-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019