All Obituaries

Funeral Service for Mr. Ford will be Live Streamed the day of the service here on the website.  In Lieu of flowers, planting trees or sending money to the family;  consider a donation to the St. James A.M.E. Zion Church. Edward Lewis Ford, Jr. was born April 20, 1951 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He was the second of three children born to the late Edward Lewis Ford, Sr. and Lucille Gibbs Ford. Edward entered eternal rest the morning of June 23, 2020. Edward grew up on...

Life Reflections Bertha Lean (nee McLean) Rodgers was born in Clio, South Carolina on November 7, 1945 to James and Adell McLean. She found rest in her Father’s heavenly arms during the early morning of June 22, 2020. A country girl at heart, Bert embodied all the charm and warmth of her southern roots. She spent her early years living with her sharecropping grandparents in Dillon, South Carolina. While still in middle school, she joined the Great Migration north and settled with her...

Yvette Althea Elliott was born in New York City, New York on May 28, 1965 to Furman J. Anthony and Rosa L. Anthony.  She passed away on June 16, 2020 in Somerville, NJ. Yvette grew up and attended public schools in Bronx, NY.  After graduating high school, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Lehman College and went on to receive her Master’s of Science and Education from Hunter College.  Yvette married her former schoolmate, Michael Elliott on August 18,...

Sherry Welcome, 46 passed away unexpectedly on June 06, 2020, at home. Saturday evening Sherry received a call, one she could not refuse for an appointment she could not be late for and from which she will not be returning. She was reunited with her grandmother Zerline Welcome and sister Antoinette Welcome-Morris in heaven. She leaves behind her mother Ophelia Welcome; brother Carlton Welcome; godchildren Sade Aultman, Brianna Williams, and Vyshohn Adams; aunts Albertha Sanders and Julia...

Nelda “Cookie” Reneé Lassiter, 71, of Franklin Park, New Jersey, passed away at her home on Tuesday May 12, 2020. Nelda was born on December 17, 1948 in Washington D.C., to John G. and Ellen R. (Wallace) Lassiter. She graduated from McKinley High School in Washington D.C.  It was always Nelda’s intention to make the world a more peaceful place through education, and service to others. She received her bachelor’s degree (magna cum laude) from Waynesburg...

Antoinette “Poopie” Welcome-Morris, 43 joined her father Herbert White and her grandmother Zerline Welcome in heaven on May 18, 2020. She leaves behind her husband Jermaine Morris, her mother Ophelia Welcome, Godsons Julian Blue and Taaje Welcome; sister Sherry Welcome; brother Carlton Welcome; half-sister Marva (Lavar) Brown and half-brother Herbert White Jr,; aunts Albertha Sanders and Julia Blue (Donnie); uncle Herbert Welcome; mother-in-law Madie Washington, father-in-law...

Donyell Thompson transitioned on May 16, 2020 at the age of 49.  Donyell was born in Trenton, NJ to Joan (Woodland) and Reginald Thompson. She spent the last twelve years as a resident of Brooklyn, NY.  Donyell will be missed by many and will be remembered in the hearts and minds of all of those who had an opportunity to know her as a kind and generous person who cared deeply about humankind. As a staunch social justice advocate, she brought leadership, dedication, and tireless...