Willa Mae Joseph's Obituary
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”
Proverbs 31:30
Cornelius- Willa Mae (Clayton) Joseph was 96 yrs of age when she transitioned peacefully on April 12, 2020, in her home on Easter, Resurrection Sunday, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Willa Mae Joseph was born on September 3, 1923, to the late Washington and Hattie (Bold) Clayton in Macon, Georgia. She moved with her family to Derry, Pennsylvania. After graduating High School she moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. where she met and married her wonderful husband the Late Mr. James Jerome Joseph Sr. They were blessed with two beautiful children the late James Jerome Joseph Jr. and the Late Mary Esther (Joseph) Baker.
Willa Mae Joseph was affectionately called Mother Joseph by her church family, the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under the leadership of the late Bishop O.T. Jones Jr. She enjoyed teaching Sunday school and she was the superintendent for many years. Mother Joseph enjoyed attending the National Convocation in Memphis, Tennessee, and the International Women’s Convention. She was also faithful to the state and local meetings of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as well as to her local church.
Mother Joseph loved and cherished her family, and her church family. She delighted in cooking special holiday meals, spending time with her children and grandchildren as well as traveling with her family to Derry, Pennsylvania for family reunions and special gatherings. Mother Joseph was also blessed to travel abroad extensively. She took pride in sharing pictures and artifacts that she brought back from Greece, Rome, Haiti, Africa and Hawaii with family and friends.
Mother Joseph was preceded in death by her husband James Jerome Joseph Sr., son James Jerome Jr., daughter Mary Esther (Joseph) Baker, Son in Law Eld. Marshall Baker Sr., brothers: Thomas, Samuel, Washington Jr., Stephen, Daniel, Prince, Joseph and Richard, sisters: Anna, Dorothy, Mary, Martha, Hattie and Lillian.
Mother Willa Mae Joseph leaves to cherish her memory her Daughter-In-Law, Rose Joseph-Lewis (Bishop Clarence Lewis), six Grandchildren : Jerome Alexander Joseph (Latasha), James Arthur Joseph (Danette) , Meko Baker- Eure (Kirt), Miling Baker- Washington ( Tony), Marshall Baker Jr. ( Yasmeen), Carl Baker ( fiancée Bernadette), eight Great - Grandchildren: Rachael, David, Malaysia, Alayna, James, Marshall, Joshua, and Meiya, two Great - Great Grandchildren: Saryn , Malek, one sister Ms. Janie Clayton Cohen, two sister’s - in - law Josephine Clayton and Jacqueline Clayton and a host of Nieces , Nephews, cousins , extended family, friends, nurses and staff of Hospice and Palliative Care Of Lake Norman ,Gracious Living Adult Day Care and her North Carolina church family The Overflowing Family Worship Center.
A private graveside service will be held at 2:00 Wednesday, April 15 at Northlake Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Lake Norman, 705 Griffith St. Suite 203, Davidson, NC 28036.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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