This year, our family lost one of the elder members of our family, my Aunt Frances, my mother's oldest remaining sibling. Aunt Frances lived a long and fruitful life. Still doesn't seem like she's gone. With Aunt Frances' passing, only 2 of my grandparents children now remain, my mother and her older sister, Lucille (momma was the next to the youngest).
FRANCES GRIER
On Dec. 3, 1919, in Monroe, Georgia, Mrs. Frances Hosch Parker Grier was born to the late Oscar Lucillous Hosch and Mary Magdeline Pierce Hosch. She peacefully transitioned from her temporary earthly home of ninety-five years to her everlasting heavenly home on Feb. 18, 2015, while at Kings Mountain Hospice House.
Mrs. Grier graduated high school and furthered her studies at the Tidewater Community College. During her time here on earth, Mrs. Grier held several jobs throughout her life, including working at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. Before retiring, Mrs. Grier worked for the Virginia Beach Police Department as a Criminal Records Clerk for twenty-four years. As the wife of a minister, she served faithfully as the first lady of the following churches: St. John AME Zion Church, Rocky Mount, NC; Light Oak Baptist Church, Shelby, NC; Piney Grove Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, VA; St. Paul AME Zion, Hereford, NC and St. Peter AME Zion, New Bern, NC.
In addition to being one of the founders of Light Oak Baptist Church, her ministry service over the years included serving as the church clerk, teaching Sunday school, singing in the senior choir, leading the missionary ministry, and volunteering with the CARE Ministry. Mrs. Grier was also a member of the NAACP.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Grier was preceded in death by her first husband and the father of her children, James Bruce Parker; her second husband, Reverend Howard H. Grier; two daughters Vera Parker and Elizabeth Ann Parker Reid; her grandparents Cornelius and Fannie Pierce; three brothers, Willie Felton Hosch, John Robert Hosch , Melvin Hosch, Sr. (Dorothy Anderson); two sisters, Geneva Clayton Hosch Jackson(Cleveland Jackson) and Elmira Hosch Knox(Randolph Knox); one son-in-law, Max Oates; two brothers-in-law Reverend Eddie Evans and Earl W. Jones.
She leaves to cherish her memories one daughter, Ossie Mae Parker Oates of Shelby, NC; two sons, James Parker(Ann Maddox Parker) of Shelby, NC and Rufus Douglas Parker(Ruth J. McDowell Parker) of Grover, NC; two sisters, Mrs. Lucille Evans and Mrs. Ovella Jones both of Shelby; one godson, Reverend Charlie Benson of Chesapeake, VA; one son-in- law, Robert Reid of Camden, Delaware; two sisters- in-laws, Patty Mae Watson Hosch and Catherine Sims Hosch both of Shelby, NC; 19 grandchildren; 35 great- grandchildren, 8 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 2 p.m., on Monday, at the church and at other times at the home of her son, Rufus Parker, 247 Roseborough Road, Grover.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015, at Light Oak Missionary Baptist Church, with the Rev. Willie Dean Wray officiating and Rev. Jonathan Boyd delivering the eulogy.
Burial will take place at Webb Memorial Lawns.
Arrangements by Enloe Mortuary.
Source:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shelbystar/obituary.aspx?pid=174203925
