Florence E. Stokes

FLORENCE EDNA STOKES was born on April 30, 1909 to the late Deacon Junius and Burley Ann Street. She was the sixth of fifteen children born to that union.She attended the public schools of Nottoway County, Virginia. Early in life she accepted Christ and was baptized at the High Rock Baptist Church. Florence was a faithful and loyal member until her marriage and her move to Baltimore, Maryland. On December 31, 1925, Florence married her soul mate, Samuel Davis Stokes. This union was blessed with four children, Herman (deceased), Samuel Leo, Carrie and Phyllis. For sixty-five years, they devoted their lives to each other and to their children. The love of her life, Samuel, died on August 9, 1991.Florence became a member of the Fountain Baptist Church in 1925 where her husband, Samuel, was already a member having joined in 1922. For many years they were loyal members with Florence serving with the Church wide Sick Committee and Samuel a Trustee. In 1977, Florence changed her membership for a period of time. In 1992, Florence returned to Fountain.Florence loved her family. She created a beautiful home for them where she enjoyed showing off her culinary skills in the kitchen on holidays, birthdays and other special events. In 2001, Florence’s health began to fail. She then moved in with her daughter, Phyllis and her husband, James. They cared for her until 2005 when they felt that continuous professional nursing home care was necessary. God saw the road was getting rough and the hills hard to climb. In His generous mercy on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, God called His servant, Florence Edna Stokes, home to rest. Florence leaves a legacy of love, peace and joy. She will be missed by her family, care- givers and friends. To cherish her memory, she leaves: one son, Samuel Leo; two daughters, Carrie S. Marcus and Phyllis I. Delaney; son-in-law, James D. Delaney; daughter-in-law, Julia Stokes; three sisters, Alice Hardaway (Baltimore), Katherine Venable (Baltimore), Rosa Simms (Virginia); eleven grandchildren, a host of great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; four half brothers-in-law, three half sisters-n-law; two devoted friends, Jerome Burton and Matthew Marcus Jr.; a devoted nephew, Milton D. Bell; and a host of nieces, nephew, cousins and friends.

Tributes

Florence E. Stokes

April 30, 1908 - September 24, 2008