EVORIA VERNETTA HANSHAW WATSON
MRS. EVORIA VERNETTA HANSHAW WATSON – (83) the youngest child of the late Jesse Hanshaw and Louise Cross Hanshaw, was born March 12, 1932 on north Mount Sinai in the city of Baltimore, Maryland where she lived with her parents and Auntie until the age of two and a half years old. She came to Diamond Grove, Virginia to live with her grandparents, Elder Joshua and Missionary Josephine Cross while her mother remained in Baltimore working to help support the family while her father Elder Jesse Hanshaw went out evangelizing.
In the home of her grandparents she was reared under strict Christian doctrine which implanted her heart and mind to seek God. At the age of eight, she was converted at the old Rose of Sharon Church across the river under the leadership of Elder Willie Rose and Mother Mattie Branch along with the home training of Joshua and Josephine Cross and was baptized in the river back of the church.
In the year of 1941 she went to live with her sisters Kathryn and Ruth and father Jesse Hanshaw, Sr. in Cape Charles, Virginia. She and her sisters also became a member of the family of Beulah Heights Holiness and Industrial Institute (boarding school) where she received full training to be educated mentally, spiritually, physically, morally, academically and whatever else is included.
While a student and resident at Beulah Heights, she attended Apostolic Faith Church of God (over town church) under pastorate of Elder Willie Rose later known as East End Church. She was a member of the first children’s choir organized by Eva Hanshaw (Miss Tennie) and later became a member of the 1st National Choir of the Convention under the leadership of Elder J.T. Durbin and Elder Creola Rudd Hockaday.
After living in Cape Charles and being joined by her brothers Pedro and Isaac, we formed a family group known as “The Family Four”. The most loved song was “LOOKING FOR THAT MAN WHO WON’T SIGN HIS NAME” led by Isaac, tenor-Evoria, baritone Ruth and base Jesse Pedro. Continuing to be rooted and grounded in God through our home training at Beulah Heights, she came to know the Lord as she followed on to know him.
At the age of twelve she graduated from Beulah Heights and began a new life in the public school of Northampton County High, Machipongo, Virginia where she continued to represent Christ and from having a good basic academic education at Beulah Heights she was able to maintain the highest grades through four years of high school, thus graduating Valedictorian of the class of 1949 with 88 students.
She attended Virginia State College in Petersburg for 1.5 years and in 1951 was united in Holy Matrimony to Cleveland David Watson. In the year of 1952 she received the baptism of the Holy Ghost as in the book of Acts, 2nd Chapter. To this union were born six children; 4 boys and 2 girls. She did all in her power with the support of her husband David and the Church family to rear her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
She sought the Lord deeply and fervently and the Lord bestowed upon her the ministry of teaching the Word of God which she treasured more than any academic degree she might have attained. She sought to make full proof of her ministry, loving every phase of it, to glorify God by winning souls to Christ.
She taught Sunday School at St. Joseph and Gospel Tabernacle also Bible Studies at all three churches under Bishop Turner and Bishop Hanshaw. She was the first financial secretary of the Apostolic Faith Church of God Live On in 1952 until the next one served. She served on the Youth Convention program committee with Sister Copeland for many years and later appointed to serve with Elder C. Scott on the Annual Convention program until Trustee for Gospel Tabernacle and for Live On Ministries Inc. In the 50th year Golden Celebration she was awarded the 50 year award of appreciation for dedicated service since the church was organized. Her theme or motto was “Keep working until the day is done”, “If you don’t use it you’ll lose it” “a mind is a terrible thing to waste” and finally” if you want to stay young stay around young people.”
Our mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, god-mother and so much more Evoria leaves to cherish her love and fine memories, her husband of 64 years, Deacon Cleveland David Watson, two sons Elder Kenneth M. Watson, and Mr. David F Watson (LaVerne), two daughters Elder Alice Faulk and Overseer Faultine Rodgers (Gary). She was preceded in death by two sons, Lorenzo and Rozelle Watson, her parents, son-in-law Deacon Joseph Faulk and all her siblings; Kathryn Ames, Jesse Hanshaw, Isaac Hanshaw, and Ruth Taylor. Evoria leaves 17grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and on same day of her departure, her 1st great, great grandchild was born. We will miss her, but if you have decided to go to Heaven, you will see her again.
