Olivia V. Jennings

On Friday, November 302018, at 12:05 a.m. our good and merciful God called our Mother, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Friend, and servant of the Lord, Olivia Vernell jennings, home to rest. She was 90 years old. Mrs.Tennings (nee Butts) was born December 26, 1927 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina to the late Jethro Butts and Flossie Beatrice Owens-Butts. She was the oldest daughter of six children. Known for her pleasant and helpful demeanor, "Lil Sis," as she was known by her family, quietly led an extraordinary life. She graduated from P.W. Moore High School in 1945. She dreamed of becoming a dietician, a lofty position for an African American woman at the time. She was accepted to the New York Dietetic Institute in Brooklyn, New York but, delayed attending to help her mother raise her newborn twin siblings, Argie and Otis. The following year she attended the Dietetic Institute in Brooklyn, graduating with her certification in Dietary Science in 1948. It was around this time that she met Mr. Herbert Leonard Jennings from Hertford, North Carolina and on January 3, 1951, they married. Olivia and Herbert were married for 60 years until he passed in 2011. After marrying, Mr. and Mrs. Jennings moved to Portsmouth, VA where it was decided that she would be a stay at home mother for her family. Mrs. Jennings had four sons: Stanley, Kevin, Marvin, and Gary. "Her boys," as she with great love referred to them, were the joy of her life. Despite her round the clock care of her family, she still prioritized time to devote to serving the Lord at Celestial Baptist Church. She served under three pastors, beginning with Reverend H. G. Hairston. He was followed by Reverend C. L. Robinson and finally Reverend Leon Boone. As a dedicated member of Celestial, Mrs. Jennings was called to serve as Church Mother, Head Deaconess, a Jolly Worker, and as a Missionary. She faithfully served at Celestial until 2012 when she moved to Stafford VA to reside with her youngest son Gary and his wife Youlande and family a year after the death of her husband. Mrs. Jennings talents took her from the household and church as well. In 1971, with a son starting college, she accepted a position as an Alterationist for Rice's Nachman department store located in Tower Mall in Portsmouth, VA, and continued employment with Hess and Hecht's department stores where she remained and gained lead Alterationist status. She worked in this capacity for 20 years before retiring. Earning the respect and admiration of store management, she was asked to help design their Alteration and Tailoring Department, a template used by succeeding department stores long after she retired. Mrs. Jennings was known for the pride she took in her family and their accomplishments, seeing "her boys" become an architect, two doctors, and a special agent for the FBI. She said of thern that she was most proud that they grew into strong Christian men. They attribute their success largely to her support, ingenuity, and insistence that they could become anything they wanted to become. Mrs. Jennings had a generous spirit and shared her blessings with the community, volunteering her time and skill to sew for families in the neighborhood. As a cook, Mrs. Jennings was unsurpassed. Her "hot rolls" on Sundays were the stuff of legend, and her home became the family gathering place each holiday. She had a smile that would brighten the darkest room and an infectious laugh that made you laugh even if you didn't know why you were. In the waning weeks of her life, she seemed to give us subtle indications that she would be leaving us soon. She could be heard singing the old spiritual, "I'm On My Way to Canaan Land." She leaves to cherish her memory her four sons Mr. Stanley Jennings of Atlanta, GA, Dr. Kevin Jennings (Lydia Jennings) of Va. Beach, VA, Dr. Marvin Jennings (Dr. Loretta Logan-Jennings) of The Bronx, NY, and Mr. Gary Jennings (Youlande Jennings), of Stafford, VA, a loving sister Mrs. Argie Butts- Lamb (Clarence), a loving brother Mr. Otis Butts (Lillian), grandchildren Desmond, Brandis, Rachel, Carlton, Armand, Brianne, Ria, Ryan, Reagan, and Gary Jr, great grandchildren Shawn, Aleah, Joshua, Kaden, Cameron, Lily, Ethan, and Olivia, a host of nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters-in-law, and many family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her but, we are comforted in knowing her change of address now places her in the bosom of our Father in heaven.

Olivia V. Jennings

December 26, 1927 - November 30, 2018