After a long and well spent life, Mother Sarah Purdee Spires of Marianna entered peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior on Monday, January 10th, in the sweet confines of her home surrounded by loved ones. She was the blessed age of 111, nothing but God’s grace and mercy!
It can be truly said that she fought a good fight, she finished her course, and she kept the faith. She was of the Baptist faith and a life-long member of the New Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church.
Mother Sarah Lucy Purdee Spires and the late Willie Elliot Spires raised ten children and one grandson. They leave a legacy of love and fond memories of their lives to be forever cherish by six daughters: Sarah (Goals) Wilson of Bronx, N.Y., Curley (Charles) Potter of Marianna, FL., Jean (Charles) Burnside of Bronx, N.Y., Lenora (Bill) Tolbert of White Plains, MD., Marinda (Carl) Liggans of Tallahassee, FL., Eldonia Elaine (Bobby) Goode of Mt. Vernon, N.Y. One son: Attorney Alexander (Rose) Spires of New York, N.Y. Reared grandson: Calvin (Barbara) Spires of Marianna, FL. Twenty-three grandchildren: Regena (Wayne) Herring, Torron Gibson, all of Marianna, FL; Delois (Felix, Sr.) Redmon, and Edward Hall of Dade City, FL; Clifton (Jennifer) Hall, III, of St. Cloud, FL., Stacy Burnside of Orlando, FL., Tyrenna Tolbert, and Frank Tolbert of White Plains, Md; Gregory Potter of Bronx, N.Y., Jacqueline (Fernando) Diaz, Jonathan (Loretta) Goode, all of Bronx, N.Y; Elizabeth Goode of White Plain, N.Y., Brenda (Jeffery) Marshall of Middletown, N.Y., and Eloquent (Quinton) Spires of New York, N.Y; Dr. Sara Elaine (Tommy) Love of Seattle, WA., Vasalonyer McFadden of Ocala, FL., Carolina Spires of Dothan, AL., Emanual P. Johnson of Tampa, FL., Dr. Sarah Holder of Sanford, FL., Dr. Joyce (Homer) Matthews, Theresa Hagood, and Livingston Holder, Jr., all of Detroit, MI. Twenty-eight great grands: Tatiana, Jasmine, and Antonio Diaz; Richard Pearson, Jonathan, Jr., and Justine Goode of Bronx, N.Y; Logan Spires of New York, N.Y., Ashley Burnside, Anaya, Braiden, Noah Potter, all of Bronx, N.Y; Brandi Waldron of White Plains, Md., Rev. Maurice (Danicca) Herring of West Palms Beach, FL., Brian Rhynes and Brandon Gibson of Marianna, FL; Maya Outlaw of Destin, FL.; Charity Outlaw, She’Coya, Kayla, and Ciera Hall, all of Orlando, FL; Malcolm, Felix, Jr, Jasmine, and Emmanuel Redmon, all of Dade City, FL; Mataya, Capria, and Clifton (CJ) Hall of St. Cloud, FL; Calvin (Crystal) Spires, Jr., of Torrington, Ct., and Asya (Jonathan) Whitley of Birmingham, AL. Twenty-two great, great, grands: Nicholas, and Natalie Marshall of Middletown, N.Y; Markwan Gordon of Columbus, GA, Destiny, and Maurice (Reese) Herring of West Palms Beach, FL; Kyera Denmark of Orlando, FL., Andre Hall of Dade City, FL., Andrew, Ahzjah, and Antrel Pope of Dade City, FL.; Niya, Treshad, and Aaliyah Woods of Orlando, FL; Ariyah story, Drequan Bullard, Don Janay Dowridge, and Leilani Redmon, all of Dade City, FL.; Malachi, Calirose, Shylynn, Lyana, and Calvin Spires, III, all of Torrington, Ct. Two great, great, great grands: Brinlyn, and Bailee Gibson of Marianna, FL; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and sorrowing friends; a dear friend, and neighbor, Cousin Susie Small; dear friends, Caretha Everett, Lula Kelly, Mrs. Mount, all of Marianna, FL; and the Hesters of Hempstead, N.Y.
A visitation and wake honoring Mother Spires will be on Friday, January 21st at New Mt. Olive MB Church from 4 – 6p.m. with Minister Delores Redmon, Presiding.
A Victorious Homegoing Celebration will be held Saturday, January 22nd at 11a.m. at Second West Baptist Association Church, Rev. Riley J. Henderson, Moderator, and Rev. Gregory E. Gathers, Rev. Kevin Williams, Rev. Hardy Hill, III, Rev. Robert Wooden, Rev. William Harvey and Rev. Maurice Herring officiating. Interment will follow in the Orange Hill Cemetery with arrangements entrusted to the Caring Staff at Peoples Funeral Home of Marianna.
