Page 30 - Florida Sentinel 1-6-17 Online Edition

Funerals/Memoriam/Card Of Thanks
AIKENS
MR. ANTONIO D. ASHLEY
A homegoing celebration for Mr. Antonio D. Ashley of Tampa, Florida who passed away on Fri- day, December 23, 2016 will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2017, 2 p. m. at Aikens Funeral Home Chapel, 2708 E. Dr. Mar- tin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Rev. Michael Neely, officiating. The interment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Antonio was born on June 16, 1988 in Tampa to Reginald Ash- ley, Sr. and the late Sherena Roundtree.
He was preceded in death by: his grandmothers, Lorain Chaimbers and Brenda Ashley; grandfather, Lorenzo Ashley, Sr.; and brother, Master Rashad Ashley.
He leaves to cherish his fond and loving memories with: his father, Reginald Ashley (Sherri Ann Chaimbers); brothers, Regi- nald Ashley, Jr., Tercel Ashley and Kamar Ashley; sisters, Re’shieka Ashley, Shekera Roundtree, Brenda Ashley, Reg- ginae Ashley and Rashana Ash- ley and Serenity Roundtree; aunts, Debbie Smith Roundtree, Traci Ashley and Joyce Himes; uncles, Jamie Roundtree, Lorenzo Ashley (Fats) and Ter- riell Ashley; special friends, Drenna William “Ma”, Samora William, Lil Willie and Anna Vincent; and a host of other cousins, nieces, nephews, family and friends.
The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Friday, January6thfrom5-8p.m.The family will receive friends from 6–7p.m.Thefamilyand friends are asked to meet at the chapel on Saturday for the serv- ice.
-Aikens Funeral Home
IN MEMORIAM
DIANN M. MELTON 01-7-2007
Ten years have come and gone, we are still missing you. Not a day goes by without missing you.
Your sons, Richard Wilson, Maurice Perkins, Mom, Mrs. Curlie Williams and sister and brothers.
dren; brother-in-law, Alfonso Richard (Esther) of Ocala, Florida; god-sons, LaDarius Hudson and Tony Carleston; god-daughter, Shirley Faison; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, as well as his beloved, St. John Church family.
The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Friday, January 6th from 5 to 8 p. m. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p. m. The family and friends are asked to meet at the church on Saturday for the serv- ice by 1:45 p. m.
-Aikens Funeral Home
GUDES
MRS. DEBORAH MARSHALL- WITHERSPOON
Homegoing services for Mrs. Deborah Marshall-With- erspoon who passed away on December 22, 2017 and went home to be with her Lord will be held at Abundant Life En- richment Church, 4701 E. Hanna Ave., Tampa, FL.
Mrs. Deborah Witherspoon was born on December 11, 1970 to Mrs. Mildred Marshall and the late Amos Marshall, Sr. She attended school in Hillsbor- ough County and graduated from Chamberlain High School, Tampa. Mrs. Wither- spoon was a devoted wife, lov- ing and beautiful mother, grandmother, as well as a sis- ter, aunt and friend. She was a blessing to everyone she en- countered and a woman who loved God and lived life to its fullness.
Mrs. Witherspoon was pre- ceded in death by: her hus- band, Mr. Joshua Witherspoon; father, Amos Marshall, Sr.; grandparents, Mr. Samuel and Mrs. Emma Lee Drew; aunt, Mrs. Margaret Sumes; uncles, Pearl Drew, Samuel Drew, Jr.; and grand- daughter, Felecia (Sugar Plum) Williams.
She leaves to cherish memo- ries with: five children, Ms. Kendra Williams (Jamar Cot- man), Mr. Tyrone Williams, Jr. (Tacoma Smith), Jerome Williams (Felecia Demerson), Andrea Johnson (Minister Indu Johnson, Sr.), Brandon Marshall (Lila Lamarque); sib- lings, Marilyn Marshall, Amos Marshall, Jr. (Otree Speaight), Emma Marshall-Richardson (Harold Richardson), Timothy Marshall, Sr. (Linda Marshall), Carlton Marshall (Brenda Mar- shall), Alfred Hill (Yama Hill); grandchildren, Myces Tiller, Ladarricka Leggett, Indu John- son, Jr., Jeremiah Johnson, India Johnson, Hezekiah John- son, Jeromecia Williams, Deangelo Smith, Tyrone Williams, III, Tyron Williams, Princeton Harden, Malik Mar- shall; uncle, Bobby Drew (Glo- ria Drew); aunt, Dorothy Drew; nieces, Valerie Ander- son (Andrew Anderson), Ken- nesha Marshall, Monica Lyles, Dominque Marshall-Padgett (Cyril Padgett), Cami Marshall, Stephanie Marshall; nephew, Timothy Marshall, Jr., Xavier Marshall, Tre’ Marshall; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, cousins, nephews, extended family and friends.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 7th, 2017, from 5-7 p. m. at Gudes Funeral Home, 4050 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33610. Family and friends are asked to meet at the church at 11 a. m. on Sat- urday, January 7th, 2017 for service.
MOTHER LEONA ELAINE MOORE HUDSON
A homegoing service for Mother Leona Elaine Moore Hudson of Tampa, Florida, who was called home on Monday, January 2, 2017 will be held Saturday, January 7th, 11 a. m. at Idlewild Sulphur Springs, 8209 N. 19th Street, Pastor Chip Lewter, Campus Pastor, Sr. Pastor Ken Whitten, and Elder Fleming, eulogist. The inter- ment will be in Mayberry Ceme- tery, Seffner, Florida.
She was born in Seffner, FL on September 20, 1947 to the union of the late Deacon Albert and Mother Leona Moore. Elaine graduated from Middle- ton High School in 1967. She re- tired from the School District of Hillsborough County in 2004 after 40 plus years of service with the Head Start Program.
She was preceded in death by: parents, Deacon Albert and Mother Leona Moore; brother, Roosevelt Varnes; and daugh- ter, Shellon Hudson Davis.
Her beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of: her husband of 41 years, Elder Ver- non B. Hudson, Sr.; children, Sonya Fleming (Elder Wilbert Fleming), Bushnell, FL., Ver- non Barry Hudson, Jr. (Opal), Riverview, FL., Vincent T. Hud- son and Urania N. Hudson of Seffner, FL; sister, Lora Haynes; like a brother, Herbert L. Hendry; grandchildren, De- sire Davis, Raven Davis, Cierra Smith, Barry (BJ) Hudson, Damarco Hudson, Patrick Davis, Jr., Talia Hudson, Bria Fleming, Khai Fleming, Syriah Sheppard and Samuel Fleming; 3 great-grandchildren; sisters- in-law, Claudette Myers, Port- land, Oregon, Martha Hudson, Chicago, Illinois and Beatrice Payne, Pierce, FL.; son-in-law, Patrick Davis, Sr.; goddaugh- ter, Twanda Jasen (David), Jacksonville, FL.; special cousins, Annie Valdez, Elder Lewis Moore, Nancy Kirkland, Myrtle Hamilton, Debra Smith and Felicia McCardy; special family friends, Wanda Gibson, James (Jimmy) Girard and family, Vivian Bell and Alice Johns; and a host of nieces, nephews, other cousins and friends.
The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Fri- day,January6,from5-8p.m. The family will receive friends from5–6p.m.Familyand friends are asked to meet at the church on Saturday for the service.
DEACON LEON MILLER
Celebrating the Life of Deacon Leon Miller, a homegoing cele- bration for Deacon Leon Miller of Tampa, FL who passed away on December 28, 2016 will be held Saturday, January 7, 2017, 2 p. m. at St. John Progressive M. B. Church, 2504 E. Chipco St., Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Banks, Sr., pastor, officiating. The inter- ment will be in Garden of Memo- ries Cemetery.
Deacon Leon Miller was a true Floridian, born on April 10, 1929 in Ocala, FL to the late Em- manuel Miller and Julia Miller Tillman. Leon attended and graduated from Marion County Schools.
Florida has always been his home. As with his dedication to Florida, Leon was the consum- mate salesman, selling every- thing from insurance to appliances over his 42 year ca- reer in sales. He was employed by Central Life Insurance Com- pany, Sears and retired from Montgomery Wards. Leon was committed to providing excel- lent care and friendly service to his customers for decades.
After retirement, Leon ful- filled his passion for cooking, and started a catering business, Miller’s Catering. His specialties were smoked turkeys, ribs, creamy mac & cheese, the best baked beans and his famous punch. His love of great food and his love of serving people was the perfect match. “Service” ran through his veins and his life was an example of his commitment to serving Christ. From an early age, Leon was baptized under Rev. C. H. Rhodes and served as a deacon under Rev. Masters Ford at St. Paul Baptist Church in the Mount Olive Community.
In 1968, Leon moved to Tampa and quickly united with St. John Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, under the lead- ership of the late Rev. F. G. Hilton. He was not just active, but a dedicated servant at St. John, serving as a Chairman of the deacon board, President of the male chorus and head of the kitchen committee. In his life, Leon touched the lives of so many people, helping others to see the light of Christ with a warm sweet smile and helpful spirit. He was preceded in death by his father, Emmanuel Miller; mother, Julia Miller Tillman and step-father, Sugar Tillman.
He leaves to cherish his mem- ories, a loving and devoted wife of 46 years, Annie Miller of Tampa; two sons, Leon Miller, Jr. (Joyce) of Orlando, Florida and Nathaniel Leon Miller of Tampa; four daughters, Hazel Lewis (Alan) of Clearwater, Florida, Rose Miller Thomas (Rev. Leroy) of Dunnellon, Florida, Julia “Faye” Miller Vick- ers of Daytona Beach, Florida and Wanda Miller Evans (Wen- del) of Charlotte, North Car- olina; nine grandchildren, Leon Miller, III, Andy Lewis (Renae), Alan Lewis (Shante), Alana Lewis, Trelawney Wise, Sarah Beasley (Demaral), Leah Williams (Anthony), Charles Badie and William “Carson” Evans; fifteen great- grandchil-
CARD OF THANKS
MOTHER VESTINA CRAWFORD- WRIGHT
“For We walk by faith, not by sight”, “Step by Step,” in “JESUS CHRIST” name.
The family of the late Mother Vestina Crawford- Wright wishes to express our heartfelt appreciation for your prayers, phone calls, visits, flowers and overwhelming kindness shown to us during this dif- ficult time.
We sincerely thank you for your care and concern for our family. Your kind expression of sympathy is gratefully acknowledged and deeply appreciated.
A special “Thank You” to Rev. Ronnie Murray, Sr. and the New Greater Friendship Missionary Bap- tist Church Family, Wilson Funeral Home Staff, Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery Staff, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Associa- tion, Inc., First South Florida Missionary Baptist District Association, The Brotherhood Union Min- istry, Mt. Pilgrim Mission- ary Baptist Association Congress #1, and Revelation Community Missionary Baptist Church, Inc.
Thank You for your con- tinuous prayers and sup- port. The Lord Bless You!!!
“Step by Step” The Wright Family
FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 17-A