Ettie May McGriff Thomas was born July 31, 1933 to Odie Sanders and Bennie McGriff, the second of eleven children. She was born in Navarro County, and at the age of six the family relocated to Tennessee Colony, Texas. She enrolled in Elementary School in Yard, Texas then later in Bethel Elementary School and graduated from Massey Lake High School. Being a lover of sports, Ettie participated in baseball, basketball and track. They had a great track team where she was last leg to bring it home. They won their way to Prairie View College to participate in State. Ettie accepted Christ at an early age and joined the Church of the Living God PGT in her hometown of Tennessee Colony where she participated in all youth activities. After relocating to Fort Worth, she became a member of the Church of the Living God, at 2301 Evans Ave. under the leadership of Elder J.A. Taylor until the Lord called him home. After his home going she served under Bishop A. Armstead at that location and then at Victory Temple Worship Center until his passing. After which Elder Marlin Smith became Pastor and later Elder Cornelius Hudson became Pastor. Ettie was a faithful member of the Senior Women Sunday School class and the Women's Fellowship. Ettie and the other siblings were taught by their Father how to work in the field and their Mother taught them how to cook, clean house and piece quilts. They were also taught many other things such as reading the Bible, learning bible verses and looking after your family. After High School, she attended beauty School in Tyler, Texas. Later she moved to Fort Worth, Texas where she met Donald Thomas, Jr. and later he asked for her hand in marriage. To this union there children were born: Donald, III, Sherry and Alton. God blessed Ettie and Donald to be able to retire and enjoy traveling and doing volunteer work until health would no longer permit. She also belonged to a craft group in Burleson, Texas where she attended every Tuesday where they did various crafts. She also enjoyed gardening and fishing. She loved her immediate family, her nieces, nephews, and all her cousins. Family Reunions were very important to her and she always looked forward to the planning meetings to see cousins she hadn't seen since the last Reunion. The Brown Family could always look forward to a beautiful quilt from a few members of the family committee with Ettie doing the members of the family committee with Ettie doing the majority of the work. She is preceded in death by her parents, Bennie and Odie McGriff, her siblings, Bennie D. Walker, Cora Lee, Mae Dee, Linda, Charles, Clarence and Johnnie Mae Nolly, her husband of 64 years, Donald Lee Thomas, Jr. Ettie will forever be cherished in the hearts of her beloved family: daughter, Sherri (Michael); sons, Donald III and Alton all of Fort Worth, Texas; sisters, Harvest Smith of Dallas, Texas and Very Lee Ford of Longview, Texas; brother, H.B. McGriff of Los Angeles, California and a host of nephews, nieces and many cousins; her god children, Cathy Bailey, Millicent Edward, Angela Jackson and Maya Willis; her Burleson Craft group, Golden Angels, Victory Temple Worship Center Family; Her best friends, Betty Mobley and Margie McCallister; and many other family members and friends.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean Not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6
THIS SERVICE WILL BE LIVE STREAM ON FACE BOOK: VICTORY TEMPLE WORSHIP CENTER
AT 12 NOON
