Willie Mae Black

Mother Willie Mae Black, daughter of Emmit and Beatrice Gilliam, was born in Canonsburg, PA May 25th, 1932. Her family moved to Wheeling West Virginia where she attended Lincoln High School. Mother Black moved to Columbus Ohio in 1957, where she raised her family. She retired from Sears Distribution Center. Mother Black loved cooking, reading the Bible, listening to Gospel music, collecting recipes, traveling with her sister, Pauline and collecting Whatnots. She was a member of Living Waters Christian Fellowship Church. She faithfully attended Rehoboth Temple Noon Day Prayer where she helped prepare lunch for those who were in need until her health failed. She volunteered to cook for several church food pantries, soup kitchens and church events. She loved sharing her gift and love of cooking with others. She was an Evangelist and loved to visit and minister to the sick and shut in. She loved to share her knowledge of the Bible and her love for the Lord. She never passed up a chance to encourage someone to repent and accept the Lord. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emmit and Beatrice Gilliam; sisters; Margret Perdue and Pauline Godsey; brothers, Leonard and Ernest Gilliam; children, Leonard (Sonny) and James Gilliam; grandchildren, Kevin Hightower and James Michael McCoy; former husband: Marion Black Sr.; niece, Dorthy Taylor-Mitchell; and special daughter, Ossie May Foster. Left to cherish Willia Mae’s memory are her children, Walter ( Barbara ) Gilliam of Columbus, OH, Marion (Cynthia) Black, Jr. of Columbus, OH, and Cameron (Casondra) Black of Kent, OH; daughter in law, Elizabeth Gilliam of Columbus, OH; special sister, Kathleen Martin of Columbus, OH; special sons, Ron (Joina) Higgins of Springfield, OH and Anthony (Melissa ) Mitchell of Columbus, OH; 18 grandchildren; 37 great grandchildren; 28 great, great grandchildren; and a host of nephews, nieces and cousins.