Elder Gertha Lee James

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Mrs. Gertha James.  

Mrs. James passed away on Monday, October 7, 2024 at her residence.  

The family will receive friends at: 3262 North Center Road, Hartsville, SC.  

Arrangements will be announced by Davis Funeral Home, LLC of Hartsville, SC.

“And God shall wipe all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former thins are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

Elder Gertha James born February 6, 1938 Red Springs North Carolina. She was born to the late Raleigh and Annie Bell Mack James. She attended and graduated from New York public schools. She pursued her cosmetology degree from Wilford Academy of Brooklyn, New York. She had a deep driven passion for her patrons and their hair. Elder James began her cosmetology career at Ollie’s Hair salon Beauty Salon, the first Black owned beauty salon in Brooklyn New York. She worked for many years at Mumford Hair Salon and Myers Hair Salon in Hartsville, South Carolina. For twenty years, she was employed with Bethune Jones Cosmetology School, a job she absolutely loved. Her adoration for teaching was exceptional. For several years, she was employed as a teacher with Darlington County Head Start of Hartsville, South Carolina, where she established lasting relationships with her students and their parents. She was also employed with the Sickle Cell Foundation of Florence, South Carolina. 

Elder James attended Coker College and the University of South Carolina. She was called into ministry in 2010 and was ordained by Bishop Charles McDowell, at True Faith Ministries, Florence SC. She also graduated from Presbyterian College in Clinton South Carolina with a degree in Theology.

 As a baby, her parents moved the family to Hartsville, South Carolina until they relocated to Brooklyn, NY. Later, she and her parents moved her seven children and seven of her sister’s children back to South Carolina. Elder James was a God- fearing woman who raised her children under the Biblical principle of Proverbs 13:24 that states, “He that spareth his rod hateh his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (spare the rod spoil the child). In other words, she played no games with her children. She knew she had a promise to her sister to keep, and she did just that. Although, she was a firm disciplinarian, she genuinely loved all her children and marveled in their success.

While residing in New York, she attended Holy Nazarene Church of God. After returning to South Carolina, she joined Mt. Pisgah Presbyterian Church, where she served as a Deacon, Usher Board President, Sunday School Teacher, member of the Session and Elder of the church. After moving to Florence South Carolina, she joined and became one of the mothers of the church at Fellowship of Chistian Movement (FCM) under the leadership of Bishop Donald Jackson. She later joined Fellowship Church of God under the tutelage of Pastor Gloria Bracey and became mother of the church until her health begin to fail.

Preceded her in death: Three children James A., Wanda and Jamie Thomas; her parents: Raleigh and Annie Bell James, Three brothers, Robert, Anthony (AJ), and Thomas James; Three sisters: Carrie Wilds, Mattie Mitchell, and Lillian Summers.

She leaves to cherish her legacy, her children: Tanya Addison, Rhonda (Anthony) Graham, Hartsville, SC; Dwayne Thomas, Brooklyn, NY; Conrad Tyrone Ferguson, Bronx N Y; Lisa (Kenny Jones) Phillips, Florence, SC; Consuella (Darryl Best) Ferguson, Anderson, SC. Nephews and nieces raised as her own: Kevin (Annette) Ford; Dariol (Agnes) Ford; Debra (Lennis) Slater; Lamont (Darlene) Ford-Dowling; Angela Mitchell; Rory Mitchell; Sharon Mitchell; Dirk (Pam) Mitchell; bonus daughter: Pamela (Kenyatta) Sansbury; Stepchildren; Millicent Ferguson; Jerome Ferguson; Elise (Bill) Freeman; Chris (Pamela) Dargan; Robert Dargan; Godchildren: Shawn (Kadiiga) Zimmerman; Citina Ketter; Saquan (Avery) Lide; Two sisters: Delores Pinkett; Helen Edwards. Thirty-two grandchildren, forty- three great grands, seven great grands; daughter-in-law, Laura Thomas. A host of nieces, nephews and cousins.