OHIO — Juanita Alford Sumlin Reeves, 90, of Ohio, formerly of Doerun, died Wednesday, June 25, 2014, at her residence.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at Bailey Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Rev. Bernard Collier officiated. The Rev. Martha Lambert and Minister Daniel Lawton assisting. Burial followed in the Dunk Smith Cemetery.
She was born on Dec. 5, 1923, in Doerun, to the late Sarah Alford and the late Willie D. James. She was the seventh child of eight children and the last grandchild of 23 children of Martin and Amelia Richardson. Her mother died at a young age and she was raised by her sister, Bertha Martin, and brother-in-law, Major Martin Sr. She was educated In the Colquitt County Public School System. During the time she resided In Georgia, she worked on plantations, did domestic work and was a seamstress for the neighbors. When she relocated to New York, she worked in a laundry in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, N.Y. She was a hard worker and did whatever she could to contribute towards the household, family remarked, and nothing was too big or too small for her. She became a full-time housewife In 1968.
"She loved shopping, fashions, sewing, studying God's word, listening to gospel music, watching baseball and court shows on television. Her favorite song was by the late Rev. James Cleveland, 'Lord Do It,'" her family said.
She Joined Bailey Chapel AME Church in Doerun, and accepted and became a Christian. She relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1963, where she became a member of Tabernacle of Prayer Pentecostal Church in Jamaica, N.Y. Later In years, she continued her religious studies by joining the America Come Back to God Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1996, she moved back to her hometown in Doerun, for five years. Even though she did not join a church, she fellowshipped with all the churches and attended special events. In 2001, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, and joined St. Marks AME and was an active member until her illness in April 2014. She was known as "Mother Reeves" in her church. She worshiped under the leadership of Pastor Ruth Mccants-Locke.
"She did not hesitate to let you know she loved the Lord and to remind the family, 'It is just as many short graves as it is long and to get right with God while you still have a chance,'" her family also said.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ozell Sumlin, and second husband, Lovette Reeves; her parents; all of her siblings; and Wimmington "Wimp" Merritt, who she raised.
Survivors include her family of three daughters, Blanche Harris and Gertherine McKinney, both of Columbus, Ohio, and Cheri Lightfoot and husband Richard of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Darrel, Ralph, Jonathan and Daquel; 11 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Willie James Sumlin and wife Jessie and Bernard Reeves and wife Catherine, both of Doerun; a devoted niece, Dorothy Martin of Columbus, Ohio; a long-time friend, Pearlie Mae Dixon of Boynton, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and those who loved her.
Final arrangements entrusted to Luke Strong And Son Mortuary, Ltd.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at Bailey Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Rev. Bernard Collier officiated. The Rev. Martha Lambert and Minister Daniel Lawton assisting. Burial followed in the Dunk Smith Cemetery.
She was born on Dec. 5, 1923, in Doerun, to the late Sarah Alford and the late Willie D. James. She was the seventh child of eight children and the last grandchild of 23 children of Martin and Amelia Richardson. Her mother died at a young age and she was raised by her sister, Bertha Martin, and brother-in-law, Major Martin Sr. She was educated In the Colquitt County Public School System. During the time she resided In Georgia, she worked on plantations, did domestic work and was a seamstress for the neighbors. When she relocated to New York, she worked in a laundry in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, N.Y. She was a hard worker and did whatever she could to contribute towards the household, family remarked, and nothing was too big or too small for her. She became a full-time housewife In 1968.
"She loved shopping, fashions, sewing, studying God's word, listening to gospel music, watching baseball and court shows on television. Her favorite song was by the late Rev. James Cleveland, 'Lord Do It,'" her family said.
She Joined Bailey Chapel AME Church in Doerun, and accepted and became a Christian. She relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1963, where she became a member of Tabernacle of Prayer Pentecostal Church in Jamaica, N.Y. Later In years, she continued her religious studies by joining the America Come Back to God Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1996, she moved back to her hometown in Doerun, for five years. Even though she did not join a church, she fellowshipped with all the churches and attended special events. In 2001, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, and joined St. Marks AME and was an active member until her illness in April 2014. She was known as "Mother Reeves" in her church. She worshiped under the leadership of Pastor Ruth Mccants-Locke.
"She did not hesitate to let you know she loved the Lord and to remind the family, 'It is just as many short graves as it is long and to get right with God while you still have a chance,'" her family also said.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ozell Sumlin, and second husband, Lovette Reeves; her parents; all of her siblings; and Wimmington "Wimp" Merritt, who she raised.
Survivors include her family of three daughters, Blanche Harris and Gertherine McKinney, both of Columbus, Ohio, and Cheri Lightfoot and husband Richard of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Darrel, Ralph, Jonathan and Daquel; 11 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Willie James Sumlin and wife Jessie and Bernard Reeves and wife Catherine, both of Doerun; a devoted niece, Dorothy Martin of Columbus, Ohio; a long-time friend, Pearlie Mae Dixon of Boynton, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and those who loved her.
Final arrangements entrusted to Luke Strong And Son Mortuary, Ltd.
OHIO — Juanita Alford Sumlin Reeves, 90, of Ohio, formerly of Doerun, died Wednesday, June 25, 2014, at her residence.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at Bailey Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Rev. Bernard Collier officiated. The Rev. Martha Lambert and Minister Daniel Lawton assisting. Burial followed in the Dunk Smith Cemetery.
She was born on Dec. 5, 1923, in Doerun, to the late Sarah Alford and the late Willie D. James. She was the seventh child of eight children and the last grandchild of 23 children of Martin and Amelia Richardson. Her mother died at a young age and she was raised by her sister, Bertha Martin, and brother-in-law, Major Martin Sr. She was educated In the Colquitt County Public School System. During the time she resided In Georgia, she worked on plantations, did domestic work and was a seamstress for the neighbors. When she relocated to New York, she worked in a laundry in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, N.Y. She was a hard worker and did whatever she could to contribute towards the household, family remarked, and nothing was too big or too small for her. She became a full-time housewife In 1968.
"She loved shopping, fashions, sewing, studying God's word, listening to gospel music, watching baseball and court shows on television. Her favorite song was by the late Rev. James Cleveland, 'Lord Do It,'" her family said.
She Joined Bailey Chapel AME Church in Doerun, and accepted and became a Christian. She relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1963, where she became a member of Tabernacle of Prayer Pentecostal Church in Jamaica, N.Y. Later In years, she continued her religious studies by joining the America Come Back to God Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1996, she moved back to her hometown in Doerun, for five years. Even though she did not join a church, she fellowshipped with all the churches and attended special events. In 2001, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, and joined St. Marks AME and was an active member until her illness in April 2014. She was known as "Mother Reeves" in her church. She worshiped under the leadership of Pastor Ruth Mccants-Locke.
"She did not hesitate to let you know she loved the Lord and to remind the family, 'It is just as many short graves as it is long and to get right with God while you still have a chance,'" her family also said.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ozell Sumlin, and second husband, Lovette Reeves; her parents; all of her siblings; and Wimmington "Wimp" Merritt, who she raised.
Survivors include her family of three daughters, Blanche Harris and Gertherine McKinney, both of Columbus, Ohio, and Cheri Lightfoot and husband Richard of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Darrel, Ralph, Jonathan and Daquel; 11 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Willie James Sumlin and wife Jessie and Bernard Reeves and wife Catherine, both of Doerun; a devoted niece, Dorothy Martin of Columbus, Ohio; a long-time friend, Pearlie Mae Dixon of Boynton, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and those who loved her.
Final arrangements entrusted to Luke Strong And Son Mortuary, Ltd.
Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at Bailey Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Rev. Bernard Collier officiated. The Rev. Martha Lambert and Minister Daniel Lawton assisting. Burial followed in the Dunk Smith Cemetery.
She was born on Dec. 5, 1923, in Doerun, to the late Sarah Alford and the late Willie D. James. She was the seventh child of eight children and the last grandchild of 23 children of Martin and Amelia Richardson. Her mother died at a young age and she was raised by her sister, Bertha Martin, and brother-in-law, Major Martin Sr. She was educated In the Colquitt County Public School System. During the time she resided In Georgia, she worked on plantations, did domestic work and was a seamstress for the neighbors. When she relocated to New York, she worked in a laundry in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, N.Y. She was a hard worker and did whatever she could to contribute towards the household, family remarked, and nothing was too big or too small for her. She became a full-time housewife In 1968.
"She loved shopping, fashions, sewing, studying God's word, listening to gospel music, watching baseball and court shows on television. Her favorite song was by the late Rev. James Cleveland, 'Lord Do It,'" her family said.
She Joined Bailey Chapel AME Church in Doerun, and accepted and became a Christian. She relocated to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1963, where she became a member of Tabernacle of Prayer Pentecostal Church in Jamaica, N.Y. Later In years, she continued her religious studies by joining the America Come Back to God Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1996, she moved back to her hometown in Doerun, for five years. Even though she did not join a church, she fellowshipped with all the churches and attended special events. In 2001, she moved to Columbus, Ohio, and joined St. Marks AME and was an active member until her illness in April 2014. She was known as "Mother Reeves" in her church. She worshiped under the leadership of Pastor Ruth Mccants-Locke.
"She did not hesitate to let you know she loved the Lord and to remind the family, 'It is just as many short graves as it is long and to get right with God while you still have a chance,'" her family also said.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Ozell Sumlin, and second husband, Lovette Reeves; her parents; all of her siblings; and Wimmington "Wimp" Merritt, who she raised.
Survivors include her family of three daughters, Blanche Harris and Gertherine McKinney, both of Columbus, Ohio, and Cheri Lightfoot and husband Richard of Brooklyn, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Darrel, Ralph, Jonathan and Daquel; 11 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Willie James Sumlin and wife Jessie and Bernard Reeves and wife Catherine, both of Doerun; a devoted niece, Dorothy Martin of Columbus, Ohio; a long-time friend, Pearlie Mae Dixon of Boynton, Fla.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and those who loved her.
Final arrangements entrusted to Luke Strong And Son Mortuary, Ltd.
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See more Sumlin Reeves or Alford memorials in:
- Duncan Smith Cemetery Sumlin Reeves or Alford
- Doerun Sumlin Reeves or Alford
- Colquitt County Sumlin Reeves or Alford
- Georgia Sumlin Reeves or Alford
- USA Sumlin Reeves or Alford
- Find a Grave Sumlin Reeves or Alford
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