Page 38 - Florida Sentinel 12-10-21

Funerals
RAY WILLIAMS
MOTHER MARY HANNAH HALL MITCHELL
Mother Mary Hannah Hall Mitchell of Tampa, FL transi- tioned to her Heavenly home at age 95 on Thursday, December 2, 2021. The Celebration of Life Services will be conducted on Sat- urday, December 11, 2021, 11 a. m. at Mt. Olive AME Church, 1902 W. LaSalle Street, Tampa, FL 33607, with Rev. Gregory Gay, Sr., offici- ating. MASKS RECOM- MENDED. Interment will follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery.
Our beloved mother and grandmother was born on August 26, 1926 in Tarpon Springs, Florida to Rev. and Mrs. James E. (Chlorietta) Hall. At an early age, she joined Bethel AME Church in Punta Gorda, Florida, under her father’s ministry. Mary graduated from Albany State High School in Albany, GA in 1945 and completed a year at Albany State College. She relocated to Tampa, where she lived throughout her adult life.
While in Tampa, Mary first became a faithful member of Bethel AME Church serving as a choir member, and President of the Ethel Jones Missionary Soci- ety. Later, she continued her faithfulness at Mt. Olive AME Church. She remained active by joining the Chancellor Choir and the Ola Mae Gonzalez Stewardess Board. Her time there ended be- cause of her faithfulness and loy- alty to her son-in-law, Pastor Ernest Coney, Sr.’s uprising Church, Spirit of Truth Min- istries. Mary actively served as Mother of the Church and Queen of the Kitchen. Upon the retire- ment of Pastor Ernest Coney, Sr., Mary returned home to Mount Olive AME Church where she served faithfully until she gained her Heavenly wings.
Mary retired from the Hills- borough County School District in 1995. She remained a vibrant member of society long after her retirement. Mary was a member of the Carver City/ Lincoln Gar-
dens Civic and Homeowners Asso- ciation, Inc., Senior Adult Min- istries (SAM) at Allen Temple AME Church, Loretta Ingraham Com- plex Super Golden Seniors, and Mount Olive Senior Teenagers (MOST). She also served for many years as the President of the Nov- elettes Social Club.
Mother Mary Hannah Hall Mitchell left a legacy of love. She was a Queen Mother who loved life and loved and cherished her fam- ily. She was a sharp dresser and fashionista who enjoyed dancing. Known for her love of cooking, Mary always made everyone who met her feel special!
Mary was preceded in death by her loving parents, Rev. J. E. and Chlorietta Hall, two brothers, James Hall, Sr., Phillip Hall Sr., and five sisters, Doris Shaw, Mamie Hall, Paulette Hall, Claudette Manning, and Helen Stubbins. Mary was the matriarch and last living sibling in the fam- ily. She was also preceded in death by three husbands, Willis Evans, Sr., Ulysee Hayes, and Freddie Mitchell.
Mary was loved and cherished by many. Although she was known to extended family and children as “Mom” and “Grandmother,” she was blessed with two daughters, Chloe J. Coney (Ernest, Sr.) and Jacquelyn Chaney Wilson. From those daughters, she had six grandchildren, Dorrie Coney, Ernest, Jr. Coney (Anika), Codrin Coney, Doncelyn, Donielle and Donald Chaney; five great grand- children, Kierra McClaurin, Shelby Coney, Antonio Coney, Zion Williams, and Elijah Chaney; and, one aunt, Hattie Mims (Fort Myers, FL).
She also had a host of special extended children and grandchil- dren including the Evans family. She had a special granddaughter, Phyllis Brewer, and many adopted daughters and families including Dr. Paulette Walker, Evelyn Kennedy, Joyce Johnson, Geral- dine Gandy, and the Latson and Hayes families. Mary also had a special niece, Paula Manning Robinson, and special lifelong friends including Margaret Mc- Quay (M&M), Doris Abreu, Caren Grinan, Estella Vinson, Ella Walker (Fort Lauderdale, FL), and Mazola Cowen. Mary also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives, friends, and Church Family members. The family ex- tends a special thanks to LaVane- sia Jacobs and her family for their wonderful caregiver services.
The remains will repose on Friday, December 10, 2021, from 5 p.m.to7p.m.atMountOliveAME Church, 1902 W. LaSalle Street, Tampa, Florida, 33607. MASKS RECOMMENDED.
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS, FUNERAL HOME. Rhodes and Northern, owners.
DR. WALTER LEE SMITH
Dr. Walter Lee Smith of Tampa, passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021. A Service of Remembrance will be held on Sat- urday, December 11, 2021, 11 a. m. at Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2101 Lowe Street, Tampa FL 33605, with Rev. Dr. Glenn B. Dames, Jr., officiat- ing. MASKS RECOMMENDED. In- terment will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Dr. Smith was born on May 13, 1935, in Tampa, FL to Eva Smith (Reynolds) and guided in life by his mother and stepfather, Rubin Reynolds. His early education was in the Hillsborough County Public School System as well as in Cairo, GA, where he went to live with Grandma Suzie. Dr. Smith excelled in school there and by his teenage years he was considered to be a gifted baseball player.
Due to an unfortunate incident, he went to live with his maternal Grandpa Walter Lee in Tallahassee for a while and from there with his maternal aunt, Alberta Knight in Harlem, NY. Through his work ethic learned when living with Grandma Suzie, Dr. Smith became gainfully employed at various jobs during the day which paid for his tuition to attend a private school at night. Eventually, he quit school and enlisted in the United States Army during the Korean War. His commanding officers encouraged him to obtain a GED certificate which would qualify him to ad- vance through the military ranks. He returned to Tampa where he did earn the GED. He went on to at- tend Florida A&M University (FAMU), earning a degree in Chem- istry and Biology. Subsequently, he earned a Master’s Degree, and over the years worked in various capac- ities.
Later, he went on the become the seventh President of FAMU from 1977 to 1985. He accom- plished many academic and facility expansion projects during his pres- idency. Dr. Smith earned a Ph.D. from Florida State University where he was honored with a scholarship in his name.
As a Fulbright Fellow, Dr. Smith developed higher education
programs in the African countries of Malawi and in Soweto, South Africa. He was founding president of FUNDA in 1994-1995, an Amer- ican style two-year college in Soweto. He authored “Magnificent Twelve,” an historical account of the twelve segregated Black Jun- ior Colleges in Florida.
In 2002, Dr. Smith opened a privately held community library in West Tampa. In 2015, Hillsbor- ough County Libraries named a reading room in honor of Dr. Smith at the Robert Saunders Li- brary on Nebraska Avenue.
Dr. Smith was preceded in death by his parents, Rubin and Eva Smith; and two brothers, Rubin Smith, and Sergeant Major Ralph Smith.
He leaves to cherish loving memories: his wife, Barbara Abrams Smith, Tampa; children, Col. John L. Smith (ret.) (Teresa), Fayetteville, GA; Andre Smith, Tal- lahassee, Attorney Salesia Smith- Gordon (Lawrence), West Palm Beach, FL, Walter Lee Smith, II (Yolanda), Tracey Abrams Butler (Jeremiah), Tampa; grandchil- dren, Nicole Smith, Fayetteville, GA, Jonathan Keith “JK” Smith, Manassas, VA, Edward “EA” Smith, and Andrea Smith, Talla- hassee, Jesenia Harbin Martinez (Djovanny), Walter Lee Smith, III, and Caleb Butler, Tampa; great grandchildren, Kaliyah Samone Smith-Barnes and Raymond Anto- nio Walker, Fayetteville, GA, Nova Smith, Lakeland, JosieOnna Dai Martinez, and Jianni Danilo Mar- tinez, Tampa; one sister-in-law, Nadine Williams (Eddie Marcus), Bartow; his like-a-son and very special nephew, Cory Renard Brown, Tallahassee; one maternal aunt, Vivian “Mittie” Carr, Tampa; cousins, Barbara Noel and Dorothy Watson, Sarasota; Judge Gregory Mathis (Linda), whom Smith mentored as a rebellious ju- venile, Los Angeles, CA; Bruce Carr, Smyrna, DE; Patricia Cherry, Thonotosassa; Janet Dud- ley, Sandra Reece, Linda Carr, and Sarah Del Rio, Tampa; Earl Lee, Jr., Gladys Gibson and Samuel Lee, Youngstown, OH; Mickie Lee, New York; Dr. Eugene Hardin, Los Angeles, CA, Woodrow Hardin; Kenneth Gaines and Ronald Gaines, Detroit, MI; Bahitah Abdul-Rauf (Brenda) St. Peters- burg; goddaughter, Karema Tyms Harris, Tallahassee; three god- sons, Tommy Griffin and Attorney Charles Hobbs, Tallahassee, and Gregory Anderson, Los Angeles, CA.
The remains will repose on Friday, December 10, 2021, 4 p. m. to 7 p. m. at Ray Williams Funeral Home, 301 N. Howard Avenue, Tampa, (MASK RECOM- MENDED).
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME, Rhodes and Northern, Owners
BROTHER STANLEY JAMES WEAVER, SR.
Brother Stanley James Weaver, Sr. of Tampa, passed away on Thursday, November 25, 2021. The Celebration of Life Services will be conducted on Saturday, De- cember 11, 2021, 2 p. m. at Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1207 N. Jefferson St., Tampa, FL 33602, with Dr. Brett Snowden, of- ficiating. Interment will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Park Ceme- tery.
Brother Weaver was born to Telford and Dessie Bell Weaver in Bushnell, Florida on December 24, 1951, and he resided in Tampa for 50 years. He was educated in the Sumter and Hillsborough Counties public school systems. After grad- uating from high school, he honor- ably served in the U. S. Marine Corps. Brother Weaver was a faith- ful member of Greater Bethel M. B. Church, where he served in the Male Chorus, Mass Choir and Sun- day School ministries. He was em- ployed as a Commercial Truck Driver for the City of Tampa Solid Waste Department.
Brother Weaver was preceded in death by: his beloved parents, Telford and Dessie Bell Weaver, son, Byron Weaver and brother, Percy Williams.
He leaves to cherish his mem- ory, a loving and devoted wife, Effie Weaver; children, Relisa Tay- lor of Augusta, GA, Stanley Weaver, Jr. of Lawrenceville, GA, Kayneeia Weaver, and Javaris Weaver; grandchildren, Shameece Weaver, Diant Taylor, MyKael Tay- lor, Malcolm Weaver, Jasmine Weaver, Xavier Weaver, Alanna Valdez, Endia Weaver, Sarina Weaver, Byron Weaver, Jr., Carlos Weaver and Dayla Weaver; great grandchildren, Xy’Viana Ligons (very special great grand) and Caleb Micheal; brothers, Samuel Haywood (Wandra), Halbert Weaver, Quintin Weaver, Travis Weaver (Christina), Anthony Weaver and Scotty McMullen; sis- ters, Gloria Sanders (Kido), Car- olyn Jackson, Phyllis Simmons (Earnest, Sr.), Rachel Nethercott (Bradford), Wanda Woodbury (Lawrence), Jacquelyn Sanders; brother-in-law, James Williams (Mattie); sisters-in-law, Patricia Williams, Carrie Jackson, and Cyn- thia Miller (Hayward); devoted nieces, Charla Williams, Jamie Christopher and Charhonda Sim- mons; aunt, Ida Haywood; a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, other rela- tives and sorrowing friends.
Visitation will be held on Fri- day, December 10, 2021, from 4 p. m. to 7 p. m. at Ray Williams Fu- neral Home, 301 N. Howard Av- enue, Tampa. (MASK RECOMMENDED).
Arrangements entrusted to RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME, Rhodes & Northern, Owners.
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