Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Edwards, Annie L. Raiford, 1939 

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ANNIE LEE RAIFORD EDWARDS

   Mrs. Annie Raiford Edwards, aged 68, well known resident of Southampton 
County, died early Tuesday morning after a lingering illness at Lakeview 
Hospital, Suffolk.  Mrs. Edwards was the daughter of Mrs. Martha* F. Raiford 
and the late Merritt L. Raiford, of this county.

   She is survived by her husband, John A. Edwards, of Unity; two sons, Hoen 
Edwards and Talmage Edwards, Southampton County; one daughter, Mrs. Austin M.* 
Hann, of Southampton County; her mother, Mrs. M.F. Raiford, of Southampton 
County, three sisters, Miss Lilly and Alma Raiford, of Southampton County, and 
Mrs C.N. Gibson of Ocean View; three brothers, R.E. Raiford, of Ocean View; 
R.H. Raiford, of Zuni, and Lloyd M. Raiford, of Burdette.

   Mrs. Edwards was a member of Black Creek Baptist Church for some years, 
later transferring her membership to Tucker Swamp Baptist Church, of which she 
was a faithful communicant until her illness.

   Services were conducted from the home Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock, 
conducted by her pastor, the Rev. Geo. Kissinger*, III, of Ivor.  Rev. Mr. 
Kissinger read scripture, while Rev. W.B. Watson, pastor of Black Creek 
Baptist Church, read the poem "Now the Laborer's Task if O'er".  Services at 
the grave in the family plot near the home consisted of the committal service 
and a poem, read by the Rev. R.P. Welch, a former pastor at Black Creek, and 
prayer by the Rev. W.H. Corbitt of Holland Baptist Church.

   Pallbearers were Edmund Raiford, Harvey Raiford, Lloyd Raiford, Dr. R.L. 
Raiford of Franklin, Austin M. Hann*, C.N Gibson, Bob Corbitt, and Dr. E.M. 
Babb of Ivor.  Friends were honorary pallbearers.

****************************************************************************** 

A Tribute

Annie Raiford Edwards - Born May 25, 1871; 
married John A Edwards June 25, 1896; died June 20, 1939.

Annie Raiford Edwards has gone to rest.  Her life on earth was a very busy, 
useful one and we who are left here wonder how her place can ever be filled. 
She was not a friend to all who needed.  Not the kind of friend who said a 
sympathetic word and went on, but a resourceful friend who found a way to 
make the rough places smooth, and the heavy heart lighter.

She was a dutiful and loving daughter, who forgot not the old ties when she 
took up the new.  The family to which she was born was never out of her 
thoughts and feelings, even when her own children came into her life.  The 
problems of her brothers and sisters were her problems too.  Their joys were 
her joys, their sorrows her sorrows.  Her heart was big enough for all.  She 
found time for her church and was a faithful member to this life's end.

She was a devoted mother.  Her children mourn for the separation but have 
the comfort of her care and kindliness from babyhood to maturity.  They have 
her example of unselfish service to home and community and her unfaltering 
faith that Right prevailed.

To her husband she was a helpmeet every hour of their life together.  Surely 
he can say with the prophet of old; "Her price is above rubies; the heart of 
her husband doth safely trust in her ... Her children do arise up, and call 
her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."   A friend. 

*changed; original gave "Merritt," "Austin K. Hann," and "Kissenger." 

Annie Lee (RAIFORD; Mrs. John A.) EDWARDS, 
b. 25 May 1871, Southampton Co., d. 20 Jun 1939, Suffolk, 
interred in the EDWARDS family cemetery*, Unity Rd., 21 Jun 1939, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), June 23, 1939, p. 1; 
donated tribute, source unknown 

*Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project
   Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Vol. 2 (II-4): 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/miscvol2.txt 

Additional information: 

John Allen Edwards, 26, s, So.Co., So.Co., 
   s/o Richard G. and Mary L. Edwards, Farmer 
m. 06-25-1896 Black Creek Church by Rev. W.B. James 
Annie Lee Raiford, 24, s, So.Co., So.Co., 
   d/o Merritt Lee and Martha Frances Darden Raiford 
(Southampton Co. MB9:9; transcribed & annotated by Bruce Saunders: 
 http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/vitals/mb09pt.txt) 

Her husband's obits ("Tidewater News," June 23 & 30, 1950) are posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363j11o.txt 

Her parents are buried in a RAIFORD family cemetery, Black Creek Rd. 
   SCHS Cemetery Project, Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Vol. 2 (II-5). 

Her father's obit ("Tidewater News," Mar. 13, 1925) is posted at: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/r163m6ob.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Anne Marie Piland, & 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/e363a1ob.txt