Wilnette Estelle Taylor Lewis

On August 18, 1929 the world welcomed Wilnette Estelle Taylor - the last born to Ferdinand and Carrie Taylor and a family of three sisters and one brother who loved and adored her. She was educated in the Richmond Public Schools graduating from Armstrong High School. She later married Bernard Clayton Lewis and together they became parents to Bernard Lewis Jr, (deceased), Bernetta Wilnette Lewis Washington, Bernice Elizabeth Loretha Lewis Carson, and Bernell Ferdinand Lewis. Her fulltime job as a parent teaching her children gave rise to her decision to become a fulltime teacher with Richmond Public Schools. During undergraduate matriculation, God blessed her with various jobs in the field of academia. She started as a cashier in Nathaniel Bacon Elementary School and was later hired as a teacher’s aide. After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Virginia Union University she was promoted to Youth Tutoring Youth Coordinator with Richmond Public Schools and became responsible for hiring/training high school students to tutor elementary students. After serving in this position for many years she was asked to enter the classroom and taught grades 3-5 at G.H. Reid Elementary School and George Mason Elementary School for the next 30 years. She was a humanistic educator who not only taught children but adopted them into her heart referring to her classroom as her palace and her students as little kings and queens. She was known to show unconditional love to students who lacked the powerful love they needed to grow and thrive. As a child, at the young age of 10, she was baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church where she remained a member for the duration of her life. There she served as a Girl Scout, member of BTU (Baptist Training Union), and member of the Sunday School. She attended services there religiously until she connected with Tabernacle Baptist Church where her son-in-law pastored. Always a supporter of her children she felt led to align herself with Tabernacle and became a great supporter of her mission and ministry work until she became too worn to do so. Even then she was known to work from her bed to fulfill God’s mission of seeking fishermen for Christ. She was an avid member of the Delver Juniors Women’s Club where she served to cater to the needs of others. So loved unconditionally by all, she became “Gramma” to everyone. She evoked a smile from all as she always had a funny line to deliver that lifted your spirits. On her many visits to the hospital some would often ask, “Are you really sick?” because of her pleasant demeanor to all. Leaving to cherish her memory and continue the foundation laid by “Gramma” are her three children, Bernetta, Bernice (Norwood), and Bernell (Eleonor), daughter-in-law Arnette Sampson; six grandchildren, Bernard C. Lewis III “Chico”, Jazzie Lewis, Marnetta Washington, Jerrell Lewis (Rosalia), Carrie Carson, and Camille Carson; and seven great-grandchildren who will miss her, Crystal Cempron, Tiffane’ Tyler, Jazmaine Frazier, Malachi Patterson, Raikwon Lewis, Micah Patterson, and Rasheen Brown. Understanding family need not always be biologically linked she will be missed by adopted sisters Queen Haskins and Phyllis Fountain. “God answered our prayer for sweet communion when her breath became His and His breath became hers as He whispered her name. “Although no longer visible to the human eye we will always see you with the human heart - forever connected by that invisible thread called love”.

Tributes

Wilnette Estelle Taylor Lewis

August 18, 1929 - February 26, 2014