Bishop Andrew Cooper Strong

Decatur

Bishop Andrew Cooper Strong was born Nov. 1, 1938, in Jefferson County to the late George Andrew and Fannie Cooper Strong. He passed into eternal rest on Jan. 13, 2008, at St. Vincent East Medical Center in Birmingham. At the age of 19, he was baptized under the leadership of the late Bishop Isaiah Jackson and in April 1968 founded the Pentecostal House of Prayer in the front room of his home in Decatur.
The church grew rapidly, more space became a necessity and in June 1978, Bishop Strong and his wife, Lavada, were blessed to purchase the present church building and a few days later to sell it to the trustees and members for the sum of one dollar.
Pentecostal then began its Television Outreach Ministry, was chosen to house the Meals on Wheels program and the Clothing Bank, to offer Adult Education classes and open a School of Music. In December of 1987, the church was recognized as an Institutional District by the City Planning Commission.
Bishop Strong leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Lavada; five sons, Andrew Jr. (Carolyn), Thomas (Vickie), Barry (Demetra), Johnny (LyQuita) and Cornelius (Felisha); three daughters, Donita (Cecil) Parker, Carol Buford and Frankie (Hillman Jr.) Locklayer, all of Decatur; one sister, Doris (Tom) Wilson of Birmingham; 30 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Monday evening at 6 p.m. at Pentecostal House of Prayer with Bishop Johnny Burrell officiating and Bishops Thomas and Barry Strong eulogizing, and Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. at Calvary Assembly with Bishops George Austin officiating and Clifton Jones eulogizing. The body will lie in repose one hour prior to both services. Burial will be in Calvary Memorial Gardens with Reynolds Funeral Home directing.
Pallbearers will be Thomas Orr, Roy Burgess, Fred Cunningham, Thomas Sykes, Fred Fuqua and Ernest Fuqua.
This obituary was originally published in the Decatur Daily.