Lucille Booker Kelley was born on September 10, 1919 in Ringgold, Louisiana in Bienville Parish to proud parents, Albert & Mary Jane Booker, who were tenant farmers. She was the 7th of 13 children. At an early age she grew up doing a lot of hard work on the farm: picking cotton, planting, harvesting crops, and plowing the fields, (holding and maneuvering the reins to a team of horses.) After completing her sixth-grade education, plowing the fields became her full-time job until she left that agricultural region of Ringgold.
Lucille grew up in a loving, Christ-centered and God-fearing home - a home which was always a house of prayer and one in which God’s name was revered and mentioned throughout the day. Also, at an early age, and most importantly in her life, Lucille received Jesus Christ in her heart, gave her life to God, and was baptized. She passionately devoted her entire life to bringing glory to God -- developing intimacy with God through daily prayer, meditation, and Bible Study, regularly spreading the love of Christ, sharing the Good News of salvation to others (young and old), and encouraging all to walk in love, keep the faith and grow in grace. She knew the Bible well and was an excellent Bible Teacher.
In 1939, the Booker family left the plantation and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. Throughout her life,
Lucille worked various jobs, including domestic work and factory jobs. Lucille was married three times to the following men who were greatly blessed to catch her: Charlie Manuel, R.D Gilliam, and Robert Kelley. She enjoyed a very special and long-lasting friendship with Louis Reed, and they served God together and enjoyed many adventures together. All four of them preceded her in death.
Lucille was very passionate about her God, the Word of God, her church, and praying, especially interceding on behalf of others. She took seriously the command in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “... be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” She never bragged on herself, but she was always bragging about her God. She was a fierce and powerful prayer warrior. She loved her God, her pastors, her church, her family, her friends, her community, the lost, the poor, and the hurting. Like her Jesus, she always “went about doing good …” (Acts 10:38) Lucille majored in helping and uplifting others. She was always engaging in missionary work -- sharing the Gospel with the unsaved, visiting the sick and shut-in, buying and distributing food to the hungry, cooking and baking for countless people, sharing her delicious homemade rolls and biscuits, greens and cornbread, and her other delectable and delicious dishes and baked goods. She was an excellent cook and baker, even though she didn’t eat or like sweets. Some of her other greatest passions were helping others, mentoring young people, investing time with her family and friends, playing dominoes, cooking, baking, fishing, crabbing, and gardening. (She could make anything grow.) She also loved to travel, and she traveled all over the country with various family members and friends, especially with her sister, Carrie, and also with her prayer partner, Sheba; she was always ready to go to enjoy different adventures. But no matter what great things were going on, she made it clear to everyone that she was not going to miss Sunday morning worship, no matter what! She had to be in the church house on the Lord’s Day.
One of Lucille’s greatest joys was going to various community centers for seniors and participating in their many activities. She went to one of them almost every day of the week, including the Greater Northside Antioch Baptist Church’s Community Center for Seniors, the Gano Mission Center (every Thursday), the City’s Tuffley Community Center (M-W-F), and several others. It was not Lucille’s style or way to waste her golden years sitting in a rocking chair at home. She was always going somewhere to be a blessing, to fellowship with others, to stay active, and to keep her mind sharp. She lived life to the fullest and enjoyed a long, full life -- a life full of love, joy, peace, hope, and friends.
Lucille was a blessing wherever the Lord planted her. Her house was the house by the side of the road, where people came by to be encouraged and refreshed. She was an exceptionally wise counselor, a most valuable mentor, and a loyal and trusted friend. If you didn’t want to hear the truth, Lucille was not the person to consult, because she would be brutally honest, but she would be “... speaking the truth in love, …” (Ephesians 4:15), from a heart of love. Everyone should have a Lucille Booker Kelley in their lives; she was a keeper!
Lucille was truly one of-a-kind … an original masterpiece made by her Creator God … one in a trillion … a precious treasure … a rare gem … and a tremendous gift to the Body of Christ and to humanity. She was truly unique and special in every way … an unusual person … the cream of the crop. There are not enough superlatives to describe her character and her impact. There is no one like her! Even well into her 90’s, she would get on the bus on her cane and by herself to go see about the sick and others in need, in sharp contrast to many Christians who drive luxury cars and never visit those in need. She never complained about her conditions, and she never made excuses; instead, she always made a difference. She was light and salt, always making a difference for good. She was a woman of excellence in ministry, and a woman of substance and integrity. She was a genuine Christian and a positive person. She was astute and active in the political process, as well, sharing her opinion about the right candidate for the job.
Lucille was the consummate love practitioner -- she would love on you no matter how badly she was feeling, or how badly you behaved. She was an unashamed worshiper, a deep thinker, an influencer, a difference maker, an uplifter, an encourager, a fruitbearer, a bridge builder, a peacemaker, and a barrier breaker. She was also a singer. She loved singing the great hymns of the church and the Ol’ 100’s. She would burst out in song anywhere and at any time; she had no shame and no shyness when it came to showing her love for and praise to God.
Lucille was well-known and greatly admired for her wonderful personality, friendly disposition (she never met a stranger), loving ways, no-nonsense approach, contagious spirit, welcoming heart, gracious hospitality, sacrificial service, tell-you-to your-face honesty, great sense of humor, (always making you laugh), colorful life stories and lessons learned from them, loyalty to her family and friends, and her special way of blessing and lifting others, often through humor. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, ….” (Proverbs 17:22)
In 1950, Lucille moved to Houston, Texas where she resided in the Historic Fifth Ward for the rest of her blessed life. She was blessed, at 100 yrs. of age, to still live by herself and cook for herself until a few months before she went home to be with the Lord. She worshiped at several churches, including Greater Northside Antioch Baptist Church, Rev. Richard Solomon Rose, Sr., Senior Pastor (Connie President Rose, First Lady), where she was an active member and served faithfully and enthusiastically for 27 years from 1968 - 1995 in the Mission Department, Sunday School, Youth Department, Baptist Youth Training Union, and everywhere there was a need for a willing worker. She was an active member, as well, at E. J. Simon Baptist Church, Rev. Melvin Hall, Senior Pastor (Jacklin Hall, First Lady), for over 20 years, where Lucille was a willing worker and their cherished Mother of the Church. In fact, Lucille served under several pastors before joining Greater Grace Trinity Baptist Church, all of them preceding her in death. She was an active and devoted member of Greater Grace Trinity Baptist Church, under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Roy Madison (Janis Madison) where she served faithfully and valiantly until her death.
A Great Earthly Journey Ends
Lucille Booker Kelley, our Devoted and Loving Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Special Spiritual Mother, Great Mentor, Dear Friend, Powerful Prayer Warrior, and Dedicated Servant of God to humanity, completed her earthly pilgrimage at the blessed age of 100 years strong, (just 4 months before she would have celebrated her 101st birthday). She departed this sin-sick land of the dying for The Glorious Land of the Living in her classic “Kelley Swag” -- she left this world swiftly, quietly, and peacefully -- in no pain or strain, and with no drama or trauma, on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at 1:30 PM. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors, including family members, were not allowed to come to the facility where she was undergoing rehabilitation for a mini-stroke, BUT GOD always has “a ram in the bush”, and He made sure to position an earth angel by her side. Won’t He do it!!! Lucille’s doting and loving Granddaughter Ebony, who worked at the facility, was at her Grandmother’s side, and they were laughing and talking when Lucille quickly and suddenly shed the trying limitations of her earthly existence and worn-out body, and made her triumphant transition to glory, forever to be with her Lord, where she will receive her just rewards! (“... absent from the body, … present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8) Lucille will be greatly missed and forever loved.
Lucille was preceded in death by her parents, and all of her siblings, except her beloved youngest sister, Carrie Booker Grossley, 95 years strong, who lives in Shreveport, Louisiana. Lucille and Carrie enjoyed a special relationship and sweet fellowship all of their blessed decades together.
Lucille leaves to cherish her memory and carry on her legacy of love, faith, selfless and sacrificial service to others, as well as her witty sense of humor: Her loving and dedicated daughter and only child, who serves others selflessly, Titiana “Tiny” Brown and son-in-law James Brown, both of whom treated her like royalty, like the Queen Mother she truly was; as well as her adoring Grandchildren: Nathaniel Grossley (wife Tamu Grossley), Brandy Brown of Vancour, Washington, Tina Haywood, and Ebony Brown; her loving Great-Grandchildren: Jaylen Bruce Grossley, Jordan McMytre Grossley, Jaden Cantarero, Jada Slaughter, Jayla Slaughter; Nieces: Joyce Allen, Neckeda Young, Meia Singleterry of Shreveport, LA, Attorney Pamela Williams; Nephews: Pastor Earnest Allen (wife Dr. Sharon Allen), Melvin Allen, Jaime Allen, Robert Allen, Jerome S. Grossley of Wasington D.C, Chancey Grossley, and an immeasurable host of great-great nieces, great-great nephews, cousins, loving church members, great friends, and adoring fans.
Lucille’s Amazing New Journey in Heaven, Forever with Her Jesus
(You have to be saved to join her there!)
“...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10 KJV
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