Page 27 - Florida Sentinel 6-28-19

Funerals
AIKENS
MRS. EVELYN PATRICIA SLEDGE GYDEN
The Celebration of Life for Mrs. Evelyn Patricia Sledge Gyden, who passed away peace- fully from this life into the lov- ing arms of Jesus on Saturday, June 15, 2019, will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2019, 11 a. m. at Thirty-Fourth Street Church of God, 3000 N. 34th Street, Tampa, FL, with Bishop Thomas Scott, Senior Pastor, officiating. The interment will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery.
Mrs. Gyden was preceded in death by: her parents Mr. and Mrs. Jessie L. (Elice) Sledge and sister, Shirley Sledge.
She leaves to cherish her beautiful memories: her dedi- cated, devoted and loving hus- band of 50 years, Henry I. Gyden; sons, Henry G. Gyden, Esq. of Tampa, FL, and Adrian Gyden (Antricia) of Seffner, FL; grandchildren, Daesha M. Gyden (Caksher Walsh) of Fair- fax, VA, and Arlen Gyden of Tampa, FL; brother, Jerald Sledge (Louise) of Seaside, CA; sisters, Ora Sledge Chester (Fred) of Seffner, FL, and Elaine Sledge-Saffold (Soror) of Tampa, FL; sister-in-law, Gi- gail Cureton, Washington, D. C.; aunts, Evelyn Laster of Tampa, Ellis M. Montana of Clearwater, FL, Helen Jean Montana of Chicago, IL, and Mildred Jones of Lancaster, CA; nieces, Rasheda Sledge of Atlanta, GA, and Brittany Elice Saffold of Tampa; nephews, Jerald Sledge, II of Seaside, CA; great-nephew, Kamrhyn Moore of Atlanta, GA; Sorors and cousins, Liz York Cohen (Dr. George, M. D.) of Apollo Beach, FL, and Margaret Brookins of Tampa; and a host of support- ive cousins, Anderson, Carter, Dorsey, Durham, Hill, Hudson, Larry, Laster, Mays, Montana, Pope, Render, Scott, Sledge, Swain, Taylor, and Wright fam- ilies; goddaughter, Lekeshia Williams and godsister, April People; and other relatives and friends.
Mrs. Evelyn Patricia Sledge
Gyden was born to the late Jessie L. and Elice Montana Sledge on August 30, 1947 in Tampa, Florida. She was educated in Hillsborough County Schools and graduated from Middleton Senior High School in 1965. After high school, she attended Florida Memorial College (Uni- versity) in Miami, Florida, and received her B. S. degree in Ele- mentary Education. While there, she was initiated into the Delta Eta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1967. She continued her service in Alpha Kappa Alpha by trans- ferring her membership into the local graduate chapter, Gamma Theta Omega, and was a Gold Star Soror.
Mrs. Gyden was a retired ed- ucator from Hillsborough County School System having spent thirty-nine years teaching elementary school children. She was a Grade Level Team Leader for several years and a two-time recipient of the Ida Baker Award.
Although Mrs. Gyden was an educator by trade, she was also a faithful and lifelong member of the Thirty-Fourth Street Church of God, formerly known as Twenty-Second Street Church of God. Sister Gyden served in many roles in the church, in- cluding Sunday School and Chil- dren’s Church teacher, Chairperson of the Board of Christian Education, Sunday School Superintendent, Tutorial Program Coordinator, Chil- dren’s Ministry Director, and a board member of King’s Kids Christian Academy.
She was a humble servant/leader who worked faithfully to the glory of God. As Chairperson of the Board of Christian Education, she estab- lished the Children’s Ministry where she implemented many new Outreach programs that spiritually enriched the lives of children and developed their life skills. Some of those ministries and programs implemented under Sister Gyden’s leadership were: Praise Dance and Mime Ministries, Girls Club, Kid’s Ex- plosion, Reward Store, Home- work Central (tutoring for students), and Annual Chil- dren’s Day and Spring Festival (Easter Celebration).
In 2008, Sister Gyden cre- ated the “Scholarship Award Re- source Booklet,” which allowed members and ministries to pro- vide scholarships to youth who completed high school and en- rolled in college, university or trade school.
The visitation will be held Friday, June 28, 2019, from 5-7 p. m. at the Thirty-Fourth Street Church of God, 3000 N. 34th Street, Tampa, FL. An Alpha Kappa Alpha Ivy Beyond the Wall ceremony will be held at 7 p. m.
“Aikens Funeral Home”
MOTHER VERSIE CREWS
A Homegoing Service for Mother Versie Lee Crews of Tampa, Florida, who passed away on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2019, 2 p. m. at New Friend- ship M. B. Church, 3201 E. Lake Avenue, Rev. H. L. Daniels, pas- tor, officiating.
Mother Versie Lee Crews was born January 11, 1912 in Clayton, Alabama, to the union of John and Julia Diggs. As a young lady she met and married Jimmy Crews, Sr. To this union, six sons were born. They later moved to Plant City, Florida and raised their family.
Versie accepted Christ at an early age and attended New Friendship M. B. Church, until she was no longer able to due to her health. She was a faithful servant until her passing at the age of 107.
She was preceded in death by: her husband, Jimmy Lee Crews, Sr.; son, Washington Charles (DC) Crews; father and mother, John and Julia Diggs; 7 brothers, Walter, John, Cleve- land, Tommie, Comer, Obie and Glover Diggs; 2 sisters, Sallie Daniels and Mary Lee Baker; 4 granddaughters, Roselyn, LaVi, Keara and Angerline (Tina) Crews; 1 grandson, Jocavah Crews.
She leaves to cherish her fond memories with 5 sons, John (Jennie) Crews, Jimmy Lee (Dorothy) Crews, Jr., Eddie James Crews, Arthur Crews, all of Tampa, FL, and James Ben- jamin (Janice) Crews from Plant City, FL; 18 grandchil- dren, Billy Crews (Val), Terry Springfield (Laura), Sue Dixon, Gina Washington (Michael), Kevin Crews, LaTashia Douglas, Meiko Crews-Shaw (Charlie), Shana Crews-Foston (Ken), Eddie James Crews, Jr., Lisa King, Awanda Hicks, James B. Crews, Jr., Ursula Crews, Shante’ Osborne (Richard), Shantel Crews, Arquitra Crews, Cory Crews; and a host of great- grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews and other close family members and friends.
The viewing for Mother Ver- sie Lee Crews will be held Fri- day, June 28, 2019 from 5 -7 p. m. at Aikens Funeral Home. The family requests everyone to meet at the church by 1:30 p. m. for the service on Saturday.
“Aikens Funeral Home”
GUDES
MR. WAYNE WILLIAMS, SR.
Celebration of Life Service for Mr. Wayne Williams, Sr., will be held on Saturday, June 29th, at 11 a. m., at Mt. Moriah P. B. Church, 1225 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, Florida 33602; Dr. B. R. Fulton, Jr., Pastor, offici- ating.
Wayne Williams, Sr. de- parted this life on June 18, 2019. He was born November 22, 1957 in Perry, Florida. Leav- ing Perry at a young age, he moved to the Tampa Bay area where he remained a resident until his demise. He attended the local schools before gradu- ating from Jefferson High School in 1976. He later suc- ceeded in the field of Architec- ture and was a member of Mt. Moriah P. B. Church, where he served in the Male Chorus, Sanctuary Choir and Sunday School Class No. 5.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, Otis Williams and Ella Mae Prince.
He leaves to cherish his fond memory: children, Latasha Gib- son and Wayne Williams, Jr.; son-in-law, Corey Gibson; grandchildren, Corey, Jr., Corniyah, Camora and Wayne Williams, III; step-daughters, Sherry and Regina Williams; sisters, Deloris Prince, Beverly Dye, Loretta Bowens, Conchita Williamson (Lorenza) and Cheryl Williamson (James); sis- ter-in-law, Polly Williamson, all of Tampa, FL; Tirrus Tucker, Patricia Jackson of Perry, FL; Della Williams of Atlanta, GA; brothers, Lorenza Williams (Julia), Albert Williamson, Bernard Williams (Myra) of Baton Rouge, LA; godbrother, Terry Arch; aunts, Nellean Grif- fin, Mary Phillips, Perry, FL; Glorious Arnold, Tampa, and Nettie Pearl Eaton (Amos), Pen- sacola, FL; uncle, William Alexander (Jessie); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Family and friends are asked to assemble at the church at 10:45 a. m. for the service.
GUDES FUNERAL HOME “A Temple of Service”
HARMON
MR. TARTHUR PARKS, SR.
A Homegoing Celebration for Mr. TArthur Parks, Sr., who passed away June 17, 2019, will be held Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 11 A. M., at Northside M. B. Church, 5706 N. 40th St., Tampa, FL 33610, Rev. Ricardo Robin- son, Pastor; Deacon Willie Bell, officiating. Interment will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Our dad came to Tampa, FL when he was 19. He became em- ployed for a glass company called Hardy Brothers, then retired in 1997. After retiring from the glass company, he started his own scrap metal business. He fi- nally stopped working in 2017. TArthur Parks, Sr. was a very loving and independent man.
TArthur (pronounced Tee- Arthur) was preceded in death by: his mother, Mary Parks and father, George Parks, Sr., daugh- ter, Brenda Adkins, 5 brothers, George Parks, Jr., James Parks, Joshua Parks, Frank Parks, and Theodore Parks; 3 sisters, and 3 grandsons.
TArthur Parks, Sr. leaves to cherish his memories: daughter, Sherrie Sexil (Achim); 2 sisters, Beatrice Dortch and Elizabeth Grayer; 4 sons, Willie Bell, Sr. (Elicia), Arthure Parks, Jr., De- wayne Parks (Tracee), and High- ness Robinson Parks; 4 granddaughters, Deanna Jack- son, Breanna Mack (Carl), Ashely Bell, and Alexcia Bell; 6 grandsons, David Flowers, Kennedy Mack, Jr., Willie Bell, Jr., TArthur Parks, 3rd, Artrail Parks, and Deville Sexil; 7 great- grands, Gary Walker, Jr., Gar- rion Walker, Bre’Asia Benson, Zion Walker, De’Angelic Flow- ers, Brenda Walters, and Omar Walters; a host of uncles, aun- ties, and cousins; mother of chil- dren, Christine Marshall; best friend, Willie Marshall; special thanks to Cynthia Darden and Aaron Hampton.
Visitation is from 6 p. m. until 8 p. m. this Friday evening at Harmon Funeral Home, 5002 North 40th Street, Tampa, Florida 33610.
Early seating for the Home- going Celebration begins at 10:45 a. m. Saturday.
A Harmon Burial
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