Thelma Watkins Wall

1929 - 2017

Thelma Odessa Watkins Wall

June 26, 1929 ~ November 20, 2017

Smithfield

Thelma Odessa Watkins Wall, was born in Smithfield, North Carolina to the late Pauline Smith Watkins and the late Ulysess Watkins, Sr. She was the fourth child of six children born into this union. She was preceded in death by two sisters: Sarah Louise Watkins Windley, Hildred Bernice Watkins Clark Sanders, and two brothers: George Riley Watkins, and John Woodley Watkins.

There will be a wake from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, November 27th at First Missionary Baptist Church, 403 Caswell Street, Smithfield. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. November 28th, at the church with a ceremonies of organizations, followed by the funeral service at 12:00 noon.

Mrs. Thelma Wall is survived by her husband of sixty-four years, Quinton King Wall of Smithfield. She was the mother of two daughters, Sylvia Anjanette Wall of Greenville, North Carolina and Loretta Noreen Wall of Sumter, South Carolina. Mrs. Wall is survived by a brother, Ulysess Watkins, Jr. and his wife Ernestine of Springfield Gardens, New York and a sister-in-law, Oreta Barnes Watkins (the late John Woodley Watkins) of Hampton Virginia.

Mrs. Thelma Wall graduated from Johnston County Training School. She received the Bachelor of Science degree from Fayetteville State University and the Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York City. Mrs. Thelma Wall began her teaching career at Carver High School, Mt. Olive, North Carolina. She then became a primary grade teacher at Short Journey School and Princeton Elementary School, retiring after thirty-nine years as an educator.

Mrs. Thelma Wall was a member of First Missionary Baptist Church, Smithfield, where she served as Director of Christian Education, Sunday School Teacher, member of the Senior Choir and the Deaconess Ministry. She served as Clerk of the Church for forty-nine years. Mrs. Thelma Wall was a member of the Johnston County Branch of the NAACP and a lifetime member of the Fayetteville State University National Alumni Association. She was a dedicated member of the Lily of the Valley Eastern Star Chapter No. 53PHA where she served a term as Worthy Matron. Mrs. Wall was a Charter Member of the Johnston County Arts Council. Additional service and memberships were: Girl Scout Troop Leader, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Raleigh Chapter of The Moles, Charter Member of the Modernettes, and the Raleigh Alphabettes. An avid bridge player, Mrs. Wall was a member of the Raleigh Kings and Queens Duplicate Bridge Club.

Mrs. Thelma Wall was a Charter Member of the Johnston County Choral Society where as a soprano she sang at the White House under the Reagan Administration for the National Prayer Breakfast. She also sang at Carnegie Hall, New York City in the performance of Franz Joseph Haydn's "Mass in Time of War," conducted by John Rutter.

The Johnston County Education Foundation, an organization in which she served for twenty-eight years, has established an annual scholarship in her honor, awarded to teachers for support of innovative teaching methods. Donations may be made to The Johnston County Education Foundation (JCEF) P.O. Box 1075, Smithfield, NC 27577.

Condolences may be sent to rlsandersfuneralhome.net