Page 17 - Florida Sentinel 12-29-15 Edition

Funerals/Memoriam
AIKENS
WILSON
FAMILY
IN LOVING MEMORY
DEACON WILLIE JAMES JACKSON, JR.
Sunrise: 7-18-68
Gone, but never forgot- ten. You will always be missed and loved by your families.
Parents, Arthur and Geraldine Harris; sisters, Stephanie, Katrenia, Crystal and Tiffany; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; and your New Progress Church families.
Sunset: 12-30-94
DEATH LIST
AIKENS FUNERAL HOME
Mrs. Johnnie Mae, Jackson, Tampa. Mrs. Naomi Jones, Tampa.
Mrs. Cora Lee Harris, Tampa.
Mr. Donley Harris, Tampa.
Mrs. Gwendolyn E. Taylor, Tampa. Mrs. Beverly Jean Turner, Tampa.
JACKSON FUNERAL HOME
Mr. Jeffrey Codio. Mrs. Ruth Lilliewood.
RAY WILLIAMS FUNERAL HOME
Mr. Joel Montoya, Tampa.
Mrs. Betty Jo Franklin, Tampa. Mr. Robert Jones, Jr., Tampa.
Ms. Pamela Mason, Tampa.
Mr. Willie Russell, Tampa. Maurice Watts, Tampa.
Mr. Harold Wilcox, Wimauma, FL.
WILSON FUNERAL HOME
Mrs. Cora Lee Harris, Tampa.
Mr. Donley Harris, Tampa.
Mrs. Johnnie Mae, Jackson, Tampa. Mrs. Naomi Jones, Tampa.
Mrs. Gwendolyn E. Taylor, Tampa. Mrs. Beverly Jean Turner, Tampa.
MRS. CORA LEE HARRIS
Homegoing celebration for Mrs. Cora Lee Harris of Tampa, who passed away Thursday, December 17, 2015 will be held Tuesday, Decem- ber29th,at10a.m.atSt. Matthew M. B. Church, 3708 E. Lake Avenue, Tampa, 33610, with Rev. W. D. Sims, pastor, officiating. The inter- ment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery.
Sister Cora Lee Harris was born November 2, 1940 in Reynolds, GA, to the late Henry Mathis, Sr. and the late Essie Mae Mathis. At an early age, the family moved to Tampa and she attended Mid- dleton Senior High School.
At a young age, she was bap- tized after giving her heart to the Lord, and soon united with St. Matthew M. B. Church for many years and remained faithful until her demise. As a member of St. Matthew, she had a strong passion for Home Missions and its work. She was supportive of all min- istries and participated in many services at this church.
She was employed with the school system of Hillsborough County as a School Bus driver. She retired in 1976 after sev- eral years of service.
Sister Harris took great pleasure in pursuing and de- veloping her hobbies, which included church attendance, cooking, sewing, cosmetology, and family gatherings.
She was preceded in death by: her parents; and sons; Larry Jones and Timothy Har- ris; and her brother, Henry Mathis, Jr.
She leaves to cherish fond memories with: her 4 children, Lecinda Harris, Floyd Harris (Sheila), Tommy Harris (Stephanie), and Trent Harris; 17 grandchildren, Carlotta Eberhart, Cedricka Eberhart, Lecinda Eberhart, Trent Har- ris, Jr., Jamell Harris, Katurah Shipp, Jatell Harris, Trentnica Harris, Larry Harris, Jarrial Harris, Shelia Harris, Henry Cinfuentes, Trentavia Harris, Timothy Harris, Cassandra Harris and Nathiel Harris; 30 great grandchildren; daughter- in-law, Valerie Jones; brother, James Mathis; sisters, Rena Young, Marie Mathis and Mary Simmons; a host of aunts, un- cles, nieces, nephews and cousins; and special friends, Clifford Harris, Ruby Williams, Willie Harris, Verdell Vickers and Joann Harris.
The visitation will be held at St. Matthew M. B. Church on Monday, December 28th from 4-7 p. m. The family will re- ceive friends from 5-6 p. m.
The family and friends are asked to meet at the church on Tuesday for the service.
AIKENS FUNERAL HOME
SISTER MAE OLLIE KEYS SMITH
A celebration service for Sister Mae Ollie Keys Smith, who passed away on Tuesday, December 15, 2015, will be held on Wednesday, Decem- ber30,2015,at10a.m.at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church, 1006 W. Cypress Street, Tampa, Rev. Dr. W. James Favorite, pastor, with Bishop Thomas Scott, Pastor of Thirty Fourth Street Church of God, officiating. Interment will follow in Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George W. Smith, Jr.
Sister Smith leaves to mourn her passing three chil- dren: Deborah Lynn Bower, Dale Smith and Michele Smith Jacobs.
Sister Mae Ollie Keys Smith was born in 1922, to Rev. James H. and Mrs. Clarissa Keys in Plant City, FL. She was the fifth girl and sixth child in the Keys family.
She grew up in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, FL, and graduated from Gibbs High in 1941.
She learned to play piano at a young age and, as a child, be- came the musician for her fa- ther’s church, the Tenth Street Church of God in St. Peters- burg, FL. She played for other churches, radio programs and civic events. Her skills as a musician garnered her a col- lege scholarship at FAMU.
Her educational pursuits included a Bachelor of Arts de- gree from FAMU in 1945, and a Master of Arts degree in teaching from Webster University in St. Louis, Mo.
She met and married George W. Smith, Jr. while at- tending summer school at Hampton University in 1950.
She taught school for many years in Belle Glade, FL, and Kansas City, MO, where she taught elementary school music for over 25 years.
Upon retirement, she relo- cated to Palm Harbor, FL, and became affiliated with the Thirty Fourth Street Church of God, under the pastorate of Bishop Thomas Scott.
She served as a church pi- anist for 18 years, until 2006, when she joined her husband and became a member of Beu- lah Baptist Church until her demise.
There will be a viewing on Wednesday, December 30, 2015, from 9-10 a. m. (1 hour prior to the service) at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church.
Friends are asked to assem- ble at the church at approxi- mately 9:45 a. m. for the service.
“A WILSON SERVICE” www.wilson- funeralhome.com
RET. LIEUTENANT COLONEL MARCELLAS DURHAM, SR.
Retired Lieutenant Colonel Marcellas Durham, Sr. passed away on Friday, De- cember 18, 2015.
He is survived by: his wife of 55 years, Gwendolyn (Jack- son), Durham; his sons, Mar- cellas Durham, Jr. and Roderick Hans; daughter, Elise Marcel Durham; two granddaughters, Markai and Samarra; and two great grandchildren.
He is also survived by: three sisters, Bettye Ander- son, Maxine Davis (Howard), and Edith Larry (Herbert); brother, Clarence Durham; sister-in-law, Barbara Web- ber; and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends who were so special to him.
Marcellas was preceded in death by: his mother, Edith Celeste Durham; father, John Henry Durham; grand- mother, Lilla Joshua; sister- in-law, Ruth Durham; and brothers-in-law, James (Jimmy) Anderson and Lt. Col. Charles (Charlie) Web- ber.
He is a native of Tampa, and was educated in the pub- lic schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Middleton Senior High School in the class of 1954.
He received his Master’s degree from American Uni- versity.
He was a retired Lieu- tenant Colonel in the United States Army and founder of Action, Inc., an outreach prison reform agency.
He was an active member of Bethel AME Church until his health began to fail.
He was an alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Our loved one never lost faith in God and now he’s with his Lord and Savior, be- ginning his new life.
The family visitation will take place on Monday, De- cember 28, 2015, from 6-7 p. m. at Strong and Jones Fu- neral Home, 551 West Car- olina Street, Tallahassee, FL.
The Tallahassee Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. will host the Kappa Memorial Service (members only) at 7:15 p. m. at Strong and Jones Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, December 29, 2015, at 11 a. m. at Bethel AME Church, 501 W. Orange Avenue, Tallahassee, FL. In- terment will take place promptly at 1 p. m. at the Na- tional Cemetery in Tallahas- see.
The body is in the care of STRONG AND JONES FUNERAL HOME.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 17