Addie Belle Davis

THIS IS MY STORY... Once upon a time, a long time ago, I was born into time in John Gaston Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. My parents, Addie F. Nelson and Bradley H. Hodges named me Addie Belle, but always called me Belle. I was the first of five children born to this union. My mother said the three of us left Tennessee and arrived in Illinois when I was about six months of age. The Hodges Family eventually settled in South Chicago and along with other family members (Boyd's, Maclin's, Smith's, Murphy's and Brewer's) attended Pilgrim Baptist Church of South Chicago. "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6 At the age of 12, following the death of my father, I too joined Pilgrim, accepting Christ as my Personal Savior and was baptized by the late Pastor, Rev. Edward Wainwright. I can remember being allowed to usher around the age of three. When the late Rev. Geroy G. Osborne became Pastor, I began to grow as a Christian and attended Greater New Era Baptist District Association, Urban Ministries Christian Education Conferences and the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts which enhanced my belief system. Under Pastor Osborne, I served as Children's Church Director, Director of Youth for Christ and Church Clerk, and was very active in Sunday School, as well. When the late Pastor Rev. Hilliard C. Hudson arrived, I was serving as part-time Church Secretary. When Pastor Hudson appointed me as Dean of Christian Education and I was motivated to obtain my credentials (under the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc. and Sunday School Publishing Board) which I received on October 15, 2009. This afforded me the opportunity to teach "Youth at Worship" at the Illinois Baptist General Congress of Christian Education in 2010 and 2011. When my present Pastor, Corwin D. Lasenby Sr. arrived, I was serving as Dean of Christian Education where I assisted in the coordination of our Spring and Fall Leadership Schools and Vacation Bible Study. I continued to learn under his leadership, which was well worth it. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service." 1 Timothy 1:12 I graduated from Daniel Hale Williams Elementary School after having attended J.N. Thorpe and Ward Schools. Majoring in Stenography, also from Chicago Vocational High School and years later earned an Associate's Degree from Kennedy King College and a Bachelor's Degree from Governor's State University. While attending Moody Bible institute, I became acquainted with the Chicagoland Christian Women's Conference Board Members and attended their retreats, June Conferences and Annual Day of Prayer each year. After becoming a Board Member in 1988, served as President from 1991 thru 1994. My marriages to Myron W. Fleming and Herman L. Davis ended in asunder, however, to the first union three children (Cynthia, Myron and Preston) were born. "Marriage is to be held in honor among all..." Hebrews 13:4 Over the years I worked in the private sector for Michael Reese Hospital and for the City, State and Federal Government. After 25 years of service as a State of Illinois employee, I retired on September 30, 2010. "I did not forsake the work of my hands" Psalm 138:8 For years I completed the 5K Walk for Breast Cancer on Mother's Day morning because my sons (Myron and Preston) prompted me to do so with other family members, Pilgrimites and co-workers, raising money to find a cure. In May 2011, I cruised to four islands with breast cancer survivors of which I have been since July, 1988. My first cruise in December, 1994 was a gift from my daughter, Cynthia, for having completed the requirements to graduate from Governor's State University. Since then I have gone on eight cruises and I never learned to swim. "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4 In 1969, the Holy Spirit inspired me to invite all of my girl cousins (age 18 and over) to a get-together at my mother's house the Friday after Thanksgiving. That night we named ourselves the Kountry Kuzzins. After a while, we allowed our brothers to join us, since they were cousins too. We've had many wonderful years of fellowship as a family and "did not neglect to show hospitality to others." Hebrews 13:2 On February 25, 1981, my sister Ethelyn V. (Bonnie-Akiba) Hodges passed away and thirty yeras later, on that same date, my 94-year old mother Deaconess Addie F. Hodges went home to be with the Lord. "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven...'and a time to die.'" Ecclesiastes 3:1,2 (b) As the Matrirch of this part of the Hodges Family, I look forward to welcoming to heaven my daughter, Cynthia M. (Gary J.) Gipson; sons, Myron Fleming and Preston Fleming; brother, Bradley H. (Michelle) Hodges Jr.; sisters, Elaine Carr and Doris Diane Holder Johnson; sister-in-love, Patricia Reed; grandchildren, Nakeya, Anthony, Andre, Angelica, D'Mya, Joshua, Lakrizzia, Anna, Fatima and David; great grandchildren, B.J., Faith, Aniya, Amarrion and Alayiah; nieces and nephews, Monique (Brian), Dermot (Shaunda), Bradley G., LaTanya (Rob), Zipporah, Berahyah (Joseph), Leslie and Vanna; grand-nieces and nephews and myriads of cousins/Kuzzins; aunts, Lena Boyd and Amanda Boyd Watson; uncle, William Gaither; several families entrusted me with the care of their children, even at the altar, Christopher L. Thornton & Family, Reniya L. (Omar) Shareef & Daughter and Brittany S. Norris, also JeTauwn Johnson-Griffin and Onnesti Evans; Original Kountry Kuzzins: Rose Johnson, Mildred Snead, Darlene Humphrey, Mary Maclin and Thelma Murphy; Extended family: Sonia Cota, Rev. Ruby Davis Burns and Sarah and Jeff Fleming; Good friends, Merle C. Thornton, Helen Austin, Ramona and Bob Sims, Dorothy and Maurice Carpenter, Bernadine Ludlow Dillingham, Berdisteen Beasley, Rosemary Brown, Annette Atkins, the entire Pilgrim Family, CCWC Board and all of You. PLEASE BE PATIENT, GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH ME YET (PBPGINFWMY). My, My! I'm present with the Lord! "...prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." II Corinthians 5:8 (b)

Tributes

Addie Belle Davis

January 12, 1943 - September 26, 2016