Mrs. Della Rawls

RAWLS, Mrs. Della - passed away on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at Cranberry Park Assisted Living - Clio,MI. Family hour 11 a.m. Monday, April 13, 2015 at Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church, 5208 Dupont St., with funeral service commencing at 12 p.m. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11 a.m. Monday. Mrs. Rawls will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday. Mrs. Della Rawls was born in Weldon, Arkansas, the daughter of Deacon Robert H. and Eva (Billops) Williams. Della came to Flint, Michigan at the age of 9 and attended Fairview Elementary, Lowell Jr. High, and Flint Northern Senior High school. She loved softball, and played on several teams around the St. John Street area. Della accepted Christ as her personal savior at a young age. She married her sweetheart, Homer Rawls, in 1938 and became a member of Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church. Her affiliations at Vernon Chapel were: The Ladies of Vernon and Cook’s Woman’s Missionary Society. She was employed with Buick, a division of General Motors, retiring after 30 years of service. She was the first African-American woman to be hired in Plant #11 and Plant #36. Not only was Della loving, compassionate, and giving; she was an elegant, classy LADY, with a passion for shopping and entertaining her family and friends. Mrs. Della Rawls leaves to cherish her memory: 2 nieces, Brenda Waits (Caregiver) of Flint and Hilda Craig; 2 nephews, Reverend Leonard Williams and Deacon Robert C. Williams, both of Flint; 13 great-nieces; 10 great-nephews; numerous great-great nieces and great-great-nephews; numerous cousins, including special cousins, Bessie Granberry of Flint, Janice Carter of Las Vegas, NV; 2 sisters-in-law, Estella Rawls and Lillian Bell, both of Flint; brother-in-law, James Bell of Flint; a host of other relatives and friends including special friend, Eva Hamilton. She was preceded in death by: husband, Homer Rawls; parents, Deacon Robert and Eva Williams; sister, Hazel Ross; brother, Bill (Mary) Williams; 2 nieces, Yvonne (Skippy) Hairston, Venus Pringle; nephew, Bill Williams Jr.; a host of aunts, uncles, and other family members and friends. The family would like to express special thanks to: Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church family, Minister JoAnn Carrigan of New Light Ministries, Pinnacle Senior Care, Visiting Physicians Association, Cranberry Park Memory Care of Clio, MI., Grace Hospice, especially Chaplain Don Bennett, Tina Gowder, Gina Shuster, Heather Fronraph, and my saving grace, Janet Barylski.