Carolice Etheridge

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Mrs. Carolice Hill Leathers Etheridge graciously surrendered her place at 927 Hamilton Avenue and stepped into her new home with the Lord.

She was born on August 22, 1929, to the most loving parents imaginable, the late Mr. David J. Hill, Sr., and Mrs. Flossie Scott Hill. She was one of five children, David J. Hill, Jr., Florence Simpson, Violet Nixon, and Ted Lewis Hill. She and her hard-working husband, the late Mr. Robert Joseph Leathers, were blessed with five beautiful children, Mr. Carlton Dwight Leathers, Mr. Donald Edward Leathers, Mrs. Gina Lavern Potts (David), Mr. Byron Keith Leathers, and Mr. Aaron Joseph Leathers.

"The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they soon are gone, and we fly away" (Psalms 90:10). Carolice was gifted ninety-six wonderful years on this planet. The span of her life encompassed both tragedies and victories. Two months after her birth, the Wall Street Crash triggered the Great Depression, leading to widespread unemployment, bank failures, and extreme poverty. She saw World War II, the rise of the automobile, landing on the moon, and, to date, Artificial Intelligence (AI). Emmett Till, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X, to name a few, lost their lives while their golden moments rolled on.

She was a graduate of historic I. C. Norcom High School in the great city of Portsmouth, VA, also her place of birth. She was a faithful church secretary of New Hope Church of Christ Holiness for many years and read the Bible daily. She will be sorely missed but remembered for the love she gave so freely and the light she brought to the lives around her. Her famous quote for every trial in the lives of her children was "Don't claim it."

She is preceded in death by her parents, Mr. David J. Hill, Sr., and Mrs. Flossie Scott Hill; her siblings, David J. Hill, Jr., Florence Simpson, Violet Nixon, and Ted Lewis Hill; her husband, Mr. Robert Joseph Leathers; and her two children, Mr. Carlton Dwight Leathers and Mr. Aaron Joseph Leathers.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and a few friends. We want to extend a very special "thank you" to Mrs. Felicia Mearise for her dedicated care of Mrs. Etheridge until the very end. We let go of a remarkable woman and a kind soul. As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the love, joy, and kindness that were the essence of her being.