Mrs. Claudia Louise Tarver

TARVER, Mrs. Claudia Louise - age 92, passed away Monday, August 11, 2014 at her residence. Family hour 10 a.m. Monday, August 18, 2014 at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, 2101 Lippincott Blvd. with funeral service commencing at 11 a.m. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10 a.m. Monday. Mrs. Tarver may be viewed during the family hour only. Claudia Louise Tarver was born on April 9, 1922 to William W. and Elizabeth B. Hayden in Flint, MI. She was the third of four children and was their younger daughter. Her brothers and sister were William II, Emerald, and Mary. Claudia attended the Flint Public Schools before her family moved to Camilla, GA, where she graduated from Rockdale High School. After graduation, she worked at Rosenberg’s Department store in Albany, GA. There she was, as she put it, a jack-of-all-trades and excelled in gift-wrapping. Claudia enrolled at Georgia State College in Savannah, wanting to become a teacher but was forced to drop out due to financial hardships. Sometime after returning to Albany, she was introduced to Fred D. Tarver by her brother-in-law. Eventually, they were married on December 24, 1941. As he was being drafted into the U.S. Army, she enrolled in the Grady Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta. After graduation and following World War II, they returned to Albany, where she began working as an RN at Phoebe Putney Hospital. Claudia applied and was welcomed to Hurley Hospital in 1951, soon after she, her husband and 2 children moved to Flint. She was the second registered nurse of her ethnicity at Hurley. She continued with night classes in nursing administration at a local college, was promoted several times and eventually earned a nursing administration position at Hurley. Although she was the first of her race to do so, she was more focused on being an effective and caring leader. She was always proud to be a nurse and proud to be associated with Hurley. Many years later, she transferred into public health nursing within the city system and then the Genesee County Health Department. After retiring from the health department, Claudia continued working part-time for General Motors, then Mott Community College for several years, until her 75th birthday. Claudia and her husband raised 3 children; Bernice, Fred Jr. and David, who were educated in the Flint Public Schools and then were sent to college. Each was encouraged to follow a career. Bernice followed her mother in the nursing profession. Widowed at a young age, Claudia bought tools and equipment to mow grass, plow snow and plant flowers. Her landscaping and vegetable garden was the neighborhood’s envy. She also polished her own car and did her own interior decorating. Claudia enjoyed going to plays, concerts, and movies. She also loved to shop and had extra closet space added to her home, for her extensive and stylish wardrobe. Claudia traveled extensively, both abroad and within the United States; from Mackinac Island to the Caribbean and Great Britain to Japan. Her favorite was Jamaica. She also looked forward to visiting friends and family in other states. She enjoyed trying new restaurants and always asked about the “fresh fish.” Claudia was an active and faithful member of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church since she was a child and served with several organizations. These included the Nurses Guild, Lucretia Artis Club, Turner Missionary Society, Mayme E. Mitcham Scholarship Committee, the Greeters and the Bereavement Support Group. Claudia’s favorite colors were blue and purple. She enjoyed music by many artists; however, her all-time favorite song was “Red Roses for a Blue Lady.” Claudia loved to cook and share with family and friends. Many enjoyed her delicious salmon croquettes, fried chicken, cornbread dressing, chicken potpie, fried apple and peach pies, zucchini muffins and banana nut bread. Her apple pie and rich chocolate bourbon pie were favorites and there was an irresistible pecan-date cheesecake. She always thought about others and enjoyed giving them gifts and cards, especially for birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. She was known as “Mabes” by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many others. Claudia leaves to cherish sweet memories: sons, Fred Jr. (Pat) and David (Kishna); son-in-law, Evans Davis; Seven grandchildren, Karen (Bobby) Burton, Tracey (Fred) Roach, Norman (Latundra) Davis, Fred III, Stacy, Aaron and Nadiyah Tarver. She also leaves three great-grandchildren, Kariah, Malachi and Jaia Davis. In addition to her Quinn Chapel AME Church family, she leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, including “adopted” daughter, Johnnie Welch. The family gratefully acknowledges all caregivers that have helped her over the past few years and the staff of Great Lakes Caring, who were there in her final days. Her husband, daughter, parents, sister and brothers predeceased her.

Mrs. Claudia Louise Tarver

April 9, 1922 - August 11, 2014