Edith Mason Jefferson

Edith Hite was born December 4, 1942, in Lunenburg County, Virginia. She was the second of five children born to Emma Mae Bagley.When she was 18 years old she met and married Gene A. Jefferson and this union was blessed with three children. When daughter Marsella was a baby and she was pregnant with her son Thaddius, the family moved to California to build a better life. When daughter Sheryl was born her family of five was complete.

In the late 1960s Edith began working for General Electric where she was a dedicated and valued employee until her retirement in 2001. She started out in the iron plant manufacturing irons. She used this knowledge for the benefit of family and community by repairing irons for people she knew. Edith knew the value of knowledge and hard work and in the 1980s she transferred to the "Jet Shop" aviation center at General Electric. During the next few years Edith completed her training at Riverside Municipal Airport and became a Licensed Certified Aviation Mechanic. The young woman from a small community in Virginia who had come to California just over 20 years earlier was now working long hours maintaining the safety of our commercial airliners, military aircraft and regional and business jets! She was a great mechanic and trained other people on aircraft repair.

Edith was an excellent cook and could prepare any kind of meat, including wild game and serve up a tasty nutritious meal complete with home made cake for dessert. She did this in addition to working full time and attending her children's extra curricular sports activities. If you never had the opportunity to sample her sweet potato pie, you have really missed a treat!

Edith loved the Lord and all that He made and she loved her family. Farming, gardening and working the land brought her joy and made her feel closer to God. She was very generous and always shared her bounty with others. She was also socially conscious and supported various organizations and causes including The Southern Poverty Law Center, for which she received special recognition. She was also a member of Local UE 1010.

Edith's concern for the human condition led her to not only raise her own children, but she also opened her home and cared for her grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as becoming a foster parent. She cultivated special relationships with the people she knew, ensuring you felt loved and respected. She always left people with the memory of a kind word, great meal or funny joke. She instilled the importance of manners and a sound character.

A lifelong Christian, Edith was unable to attend Sunday church service due to her work schedule. However, she kept her commitment to God by donating to the church as well as in her deeds and how she lived her life. She read and studied her bible and loved her gospel music. Believing strongly in the power of prayer Edith stayed "prayed up!"

Edith is preceded in death by: Ex Husband Gene A. Jefferson; Mother Emma Mae Bagley; Sisters Charlotte Cypress, Shirley Moore, Doris Hite; "bonus sister" Marie Jefferson; Nephew Durwood Hite; Niece Pakita Hite.

She leaves to mourn her passing Children: Marsella Jefferson, Thaddius Jefferson, Sr and wife Avonnette Jefferson, Sheryl Jefferson

Grandchildren: Alexis Jefferson, Edith A. Jefferson, Thaddius Jefferson, Jr, Darian Jefferson, Lauryn Jefferson, Brandon Miller Jaylen Bruce, Julian Bruce

Great Grandchildren: Jada Jefferson, Aniya Jefferson, JaNoah Jefferson, Josiah Cole, Thaddius Jefferson, III, Cullen Jefferson and one Great Great Grandchild

Sisters: Ernesteen Lee, Emma Reese "bonus Sisters" Florence Jefferson, Corine Nash, Susan Jackson, Johnie Mae Jefferson, Evelyn Jefferson, Penny Cuevas and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.