Page 34 - Florida Sentinel 11-5-21

Funerals
RAY WILLIAMS
MS. EARNESTINE COPELAND
Ms. Earnestine Copeland of Tampa, passed away on Friday, October 22, 2021. Funeral Serv- ices will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021, 11 A. M. at Life in Christ Community Church Ministry, 9706 N. 26th Street, Tampa, FL 33612, with Reverend Arthur Randall, offici- ating. MASK RECOMMENDED. Interment to follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Earnestine Copeland was born on July 9, 1958, a native of Tallahassee, FL and a resident of Tampa, FL, for over 20 years. She was a graduate of Jefferson High School and attended Life In Christ Community Church.
Ms. Copeland was preceded in death by: her parents, Thomas and Lilla Mae Copeland; sons, Anthony Lane and Jonathan Copeland; brothers, Clyde Copeland, James Copeland, and Cleveland Copeland; and 1 sister, Nadine Copeland Washington.
She leaves to cherish her fondest memories: her daugh- ters, April Grant of Tampa, An- gela Copeland Hughes of Tallahassee, and Kimberly Lane; sons, Marvin Lane (Nita), and Demetrius Copeland of Tampa; 21 grandchildren, Kiera Howard (Telly), Tavari Grant, Jimmie Baker, III, Denzel Baker, Ethan Grant, Zion Williams, all of Tampa, Roshun Parker, Delmus Rogers, Delmeshia Rogers, Willie Harris, La Eric Hughes, Kayauna Hughes of Tallahassee, Asiah Lane, Rayleisha Lane, Corry George, Jr., Marcus George, Cerina Lane, Shania Williams of Tampa, Marvin Lane, Jr., Markell Lane, and Niera Lane, of Tampa; 8 great grands; 2 loving brothers, Chester Copeland (Shirley) and Aaron Copeland (Delores) and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be held on Fri- day, November 5, 2021, 4-7 p. m. at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue. MASK RECOMMENDED
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOMe, Rhodes & Northern, Owners.
MR. CORNELIUS LAVON DURHAM, SR.
Mr. Cornelius Lavon Durham, Sr. of Tampa, FL, passed away on Wednesday, Oc- tober 20, 2021. Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Novem- ber6,2021,4p.m.atRay Williams Memorial Chapel, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606, with Pastor Ernest Coney, officiating. (MASK RECOM- MENDED.)
Mr. Cornelius Durham was a native of Tampa and a resident for 38 years. He attended H. B. Plant High School. He was the owner of a Transportation Busi- ness at NCS Transportation, LLC.
He was preceded in death by: his brother, Cedrick Durham.
He leaves to cherish his mem- ory: his loving and devoted wife, Marquetta Durham; children, Niyah, Cornelius, Jr., and Skye Durham; parents, Limbert and Crystal Hodgson and Larry Jerome Durham, Sr.; brothers, Larry Durham (Tashone), Mar- quis Durham (Megan), and Lim- bert Hodgson, Jr.; bonus brothers, Justin “Dunc” Duncan (Ashley), Pervis Pasco, Jeremy Jones and Jaison Griffin; mother-in-law, Theresa Williams; sister-in-law, Shalanda Roberts; brother-in-law, Mario Williams; nieces, Taylor Pickett, Jordan Durham, Kennedy Durham, Sannye Durham, Ryan Durham, Roshond Fletcher and Ronisha Fletcher; nephews, Juwan Durham, Cedric Durham, Jr., A. J. Durham, Ahmad Durham, Xavier Durham, Darius Durham, Lim’Ell Hodgson, and Robert Fletcher; aunts and un- cles, Charzelle and Sheri Baker, Victoria Bush and Andre Peter- son; cousins, Katronda Norton, Alvin Acosta, Paul and Nita Clark, Renesha Acosta, Jamal and Theresa Barrow, Ronnie and Daniell Upshaw, Tammy Jordan, Tamesha Bush, Calvin Bush, Art Sams, and Andre Peterson, Jr.; and many more relatives and friends, Hyde “HP” Park Crew, H. B. Plant Crew, Long Ash Cigar Crew, Mike Traina Art District Crew, The Warehouse Crew, the Players he coached and to the rest of the world he touched.
Arrangements entrusted to: RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME, Rhodes & Northern, Owners.
MR. ABNER FORD
The Lord called and Mr. Abner Ford of Tampa, FL an- swered the Master’s call on Tues- day, October 26, 2021, at Melech Hospice House. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, Novem- ber 6, 2021, 10 a. m. at St. John Cathedral, 3401 Bishop Eddie Newkirk Way, Tampa, FL 33605, Senior Pastor Dwight Newkirk, with Elder Tony Parker, Pastor, officiating. (MASK RECOM- MENDED)
Abner Ford was born on Jan- uary 30, 1937, in Thomasville, GA to his proud parents, William Ford, Sr. and Beulah Andrews- Ford. At the age of four, his fam- ily moved to Tampa, FL where he remained for 80 years. He at- tended Don Thompson Voca- tional High School, where he excelled both on and off the foot- ball field. Abner played varsity football as a right-tackle, playing both offense and defense and was given the name, “Debussy.” Abner was very popular and he always kept something going. He loved to tell jokes and he kept up with all current events. Upon graduating from high school in 1956, he received a football schol- arship to Albany State, however, his father passed away during his senior year and he declined the scholarship to work and help his mother take care of the younger siblings.
Abner was married to Minnie Armstrong and to this union, two children were born, Terrance Keith Ford and Demetrius Ford who died at one week old.
Abner gained employment with Borrell Electric on May 20, 1985 and was forced to retire on October 21, 2016. Although he wasn’t ready to retire, it allowed
him to enjoy the things he loved to do. He began gardening more, growing fresh vegetables, such as collard greens, okra and bell pep- pers.
He was a faithful Deacon at St. John Cathedral and served wherever he was needed. He was a cheerful giver to his church, his family, his neighbors and friends.
He was preceded in death by: his parents, William, Sr. and Beu- lah Ford; wife, Minnie Arm- strong-Ford; son, Demetrius Ford; all of his siblings, Homer Ford, William Ford, Jr., Ben Ford, David Lee Ford, Virginia Parker, Laura Mae Williams, and Delores Love-Cooper.
He leaves to cherish his mem- ory: a caring son, Terrance Keith Ford; devoted nephews, Tony Parker (Tondra), Willie Parker, Jr. (Robin), and Donald Ford (Sidonie); loving and attentive nieces, Terry Parker-Roe (John- nie), Robin Paschall, Sherryl Chambers (Carl), Tangie Williams, Mariel Love, Robyne Williams, and Toni Sanderson; brothers-in-law, Nathaniel Love, Bennie Cooper, Frank Howard, Elmer Bellamy (Leola), Tommy Armstrong of New York, and Robert Armstrong (Delores) of Jacksonville, FL; sisters-in-law, Barbara Ford of Prince George, VA, Liz McQuay (Nathaniel), Al- berta Pyron, Ernestine Bellamy, Ruth Hires, Larraine Williams- Nunn, Mary Myers, Helen Arm- strong and Jackie Armstrong; special great nieces, Jasmine Roe and Jenesis Roe-Sturgis (Reese); special great-great nephews, Mark Grant, III (whom he affec- tionately called “Tiger”) and Reese Sturgis, III; a host of great nephews and nieces, great-great nephews and nieces, cousins, and friends.
Special thanks to the Borrell Electric Family, Don Thompson, “Class of 1956,” St. John Cathe- dral Family, neighbors on Langston Place, and special fam- ily friend, Ebba Wilson.
Visitation will be held from 4- 7 p. m. on Friday, November 5, 2021 at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606. (MASK REC- OMMENDED)
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME, Rhodes & Northern, Owners.
MS. ONEDA LUCRETIA RAMIREZ JONES
Ms. Oneda Lucretia Ramirez Jones of Tampa, FL, passed away Saturday, October 30, 2021. Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021, 5- 8 p. m. at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, FL 33606. (MASK REC- OMMENDED)
Ms. Oneda R. Jones was a native of Tampa, FL, and a resi- dent for 90 years. She attended Don Thompson High School and was a retired Dietician at the Hillsborough County School System. She was a member of the North Tampa Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness. A Jeho- vah’s Witness Celebration Of Life Ceremony will be held in her honor on Zoom. Zoom In- formation: Funeral Discourse, Saturday, November 13, 2021 @ 2:00 p.m. EST; Zoom ID: 849 3454 7878 Zoom Passcode: Jones1914.
She is preceded by: sisters, Thelma Mitchell, Angelina Smith, and Catherine Davis; and brother, Joseph Ramirez.
She leaves to cherish her memory: her brothers, Leonard Ramirez and Johnny Davis, son, Wendell Ramirez, Sr.; grand- sons, Wendell Ramirez, Jr., Michael and Courtney Ramirez; great granddaughter, Charleigh Ramirez; great grandson, Garri- son Ramirez; nephews, Arnold “Jake” Mitchell, and Spencer Pittman; nieces, Valerie Trot- man, and Danielle “Nikki” Ramirez-Barnes and a host of other nephews, nieces and cousins.
The remains will repose after 5 p. m., Saturday, Novem- ber 6, 2021 at Ray Williams Fu- neral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue. MASK RECOM- MENDED
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME, Rhodes & Northern, Owners.
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