Tag: Passings

Elder Vernon Chappel, noted songwriter & worship leader, succumbs

GMF joins the gospel community in mourning the unexpected passing of musician, songwriter, and worship leader Elder Vernon Chappel, who transitioned this morning, January 27.  He was 56 years old.

Chappel was known throughout the United States and abroad for his music ministry and has been described as “a contemporary gospel vocalist with the soul of Thomas Whitfield and the energetic flair of Milton Biggham and Timothy Wright.”  His compositions have been recorded by a host of artists who include Dorothy Norwood, Joe Pace and Colorado Mass, and Beverly Crawford (who made his “Jehovah, We Praise You” a hugely popular worship song).

Though a native of California, for the past several years Chappel resided in NC and served as Music Pastor at The River Church, Inc. in Durham.  Upon learning of his passing, Sheryl Brady, founding pastor of The River, commented via Twitter, “One of the GREATEST men in my life went home to be with the Lord. Elder Vernon Chappel was my hero. Help us Jesus!”

GMF extends its sincerest sympathy to Chappel’s family, to his many friends, and to all whom he mentored during his 35-plus years in ministry.

As relayed by Mylum Nicholson, celebration services are planned for both the West and East Coast.

West Coast
Musical
Friday, February 8, 2013
6 PM

Homegoing Service
Saturday, February 9, 2013
11 AM

Both the musical and homegoing service will take place at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1401 E. Brundage Lane, Bakersfield, CA  93307. 

Interment
Wasco Cemetery
300 Leonard Ave.
Wasco, CA  93280

East Coast
Raleigh-Durham Memorial Service
Friday, February 15, 2013
7 PM
Wake Chapel Church
3805 Tarheel Road
Raleigh, NC 27604

Ethel Shannon, grandmother of John P. Kee, goes home

 
Mother Ethel Shannon
 
Ethel Shannon, the beloved grandmother of Pastor John P. Kee passed tonight, January 25.  She was 100 years old.
 
Mother Shannon can be heard on Kee’s various V.I.P. recordings including Lily In The Valley, and most recently on The Legacy Project.
 
GMF sends its heartfelt sympathy to the Shannon and Kee families during this time of transition.
 
Arrangements are as follows:
 
Public Viewing
Thursday, January 31, 2013
10 AM – 7 PM
Fisher Funeral Parlor
3137 Fayetteville St.
Durham, NC  27707 

Service of Remembrance
Friday, February 1, 2013 
7 PM
New Life Fellowship Center
1337 Samuel St.
Charlotte, NC  28206
 
Final Service of Remembrance
Saturday, February 2, 2013
12 noon  (viewing two hours prior)
Union Baptist Church
904 N. Roxboro St.
Durham, NC  27701

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Mt. Calvary United Church of Christ Sunday School, 1715 Athens Street, Durham, NC  27707.

Frances McClurkin, mother of Donnie McClurkin, passes on

GMF extends condolences to Pastor Donnie McClurkin and the McClurkin family in the passing of their matriarch, Frances McClurkin.  Mother McClurkin transitioned January 18, from complications of a massive coronary heart attack she suffered Sunday, January 13, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bethpage, NY.
Mother McClurkin’s survivors include seven children: Marlene, Donnie, Cheryl, Andrea, Tony, Tanya, Rafael, and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Preceding Frances in her journey are children Olivia and Thomas.
The homegoing service will be held Friday, January 25, at:
Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York
11031 Merrick Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11433
Doors open at 6:30 PM and the service starts at 7 PM. The service will also stream live at www.perfectingfaith.org.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Frances McClurkin Memorial Fund to help feed, care for, and empower the Harlem community through the Perfecting Faith Church’s mission activity.  Donations can be made online at www.perfectingfaith.org, by calling the church office at 516-223-8300, or by mailing your donation to 311 N. Main St., Freeport, NY 11520.

Charles McLean of the Gospel Keynotes has died

Rev. Charles McLean, formerly of the Gospel Keynotes, died today.  He was 69 years old.

Rev. McLean was born in Greensboro (NC) in 1943. He joined the Keynotes in 1979 and remained with the group through 1984, when he departed to focus on his own ministry.
GMF sends condolences to Rev. McLean’s family and to the quartet community.  He will be remembered as one of the great falsetto singers in quartet music.

Arrangements are as follows:

Musical Tribute
Thursday, January 10th at 7 PM

Homegoing Service
Friday, January 11th at 10 AM

Both services will be at Gospel Temple Church Of God In Christ, 4121 Thurmond Road, Conley, GA 30288.  Meadows Mortuary in Atlanta is in charge of arrangements.

Inez Andrews Homegoing Recap

Yolanda Adams, Smokie Norful, and the Caravans were among those who gathered to remember Inez Andrews Friday at Apostolic Church of God in Chicago.  Andrews, a towering force and soaring voice in the famous Caravans, passed December 19, at age 83.

Dave Hoekstra of the Chicago Sun-Times provided a well-written recap (click here), and award-winning photographer David Spearman captured photos of the service (view the gallery here).  He also shared footage (click here), during which Pastor Shirley Caesar comforts the family with stirring and uplifting remarks following the Caravans’ musical numbers (“May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me,” “Jesus Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” and “Lord, Keep Me Day by Day”).

"Salute to the High Priestess"

Milton Brunson’s Thompson Community Singers minister at the memorial musical for Inez Andrews of the Caravans, Thursday night at Chicago’s Apostolic Church of God. The homegoing will be at the church Friday at 11am.

R&B Singer Fontella Bass (1940-2012)

Fontella Bass, R&B soul singer famous for her hit “Rescue Me,” died Wednesday.  She was 72 years old.

Bass was the daughter of gospel singer Martha Bass of the Clara Ward Singers.  Her brother, R&B and gospel singer David Peaston, passed in February of this year.

Read more on the career of Fontella Bass here.

Inez Andrews of the Caravans: From Labor to Reward

GMF has learned from gospel singer Ron Barrett that “The High Priestess of Gospel” Inez Andrews passed today. Her health had been in decline for several months.  She was 83 years old.

Inez Andrews was a long-time member of the famous Caravans and continued to captivate audiences as recently as her appreciation musical this past September with her signature performance of “Mary Don’t You Weep.” (How she could tease us with her playful hesitance: “I don’t know, but I think I can call her”–Mary, that is–“a lil’ bit louder,” before letting out that piercing shriek, “MAAAARY!”)
Some of the singer/songwriter’s other popular songs with the Caravans were “I’m Not Tired Yet” and “I’m Willing to Wait.” As a solo artist, one of her biggest hits was “Lord, Don’t Move the Mountain.”  
In the 1990’s, Andrews earned a Stellar Award nomination for her album Raise Up A Nation. In 2002, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. And, in what will now be a bittersweet tribute, she will be honored with the Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones Legends Award at the 2013 Stellar Awards in January; she was selected for the award earlier this year. 
GMF’s heartfelt condolences and prayers are with Lady Andrews’ family, friends, and fans.

Services will be held at Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637.


Musical
Thursday,
December 27, 2012
7 PM 
Homegoing Celebration
Friday,
December 28, 2012

11 AM

Visitation one hour prior

Maurice Culpepper, noted choir director, has passed

GMF is sad to report that Minister Maurice Culpepper, founder and director of the Showers of Blessings Choir, passed away Sunday morning.

Culpepper was a well-known and respected minister of music, having shared his gifts with several choirs and churches, including the Praise Power Fellowship Choir, Citadel of Hope Evangelistic Church Of God In Christ, and Decatur’s New Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church.  Additionally, he and his singing aggregation, the Maurice Culpepper Singers, provided background vocals for Juanita Bynum’s 2006 gold-selling album, A Piece of My Passion.

GMF extends condolences to his wife Tina and to the entire Culpepper family, as well as to his many friends.

Homegoing arrangements will be announced by Gus Thornhill’s Funeral Home, Inc. of East Point, GA. 

Homegoing Arrangements for Sunday Best Finalist Dontavies Boatwright

November 13, 2012- JACKSONVILLE, FL – Arrangements have been finalized for Dontavies Boatwright, PEInc Gospel recording artist, who passed away on Thursday, November 8, 2012, in Jacksonville, Florida.
 
Friday, November 16th
 
PUBLIC VIEWING – 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
J.E. Fralin & Sons Funeral Service

5065 Soutel Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32208

 
MEMORIAL CONCERT – 7:00 PM
Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church
A.B. Coleman Auditorium

1118 W. Beaver Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204

 
Saturday, November 17th
 
HOMEGOING CELEBRATION – 11:00 AM
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church

215 Bethel Baptist Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202

 
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Dontavies Boatwright Memorial Scholarship Fund can be sent to:
 
c/o Parriscope Entertainment, Inc.

5103 San Juan Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32210

 
The Parriscope studios will be open Tuesday through Friday, 2-6 PM, for anyone who wishes to drop off monetary or food gifts.