Barbara N. Merrell-Finley

Barbara N. Merrell-Finley of Victorville, daughter of the late Willie Merrell and Willie Mae McKnight Merrell, was born April 14, 1940 and departed this world on May 31, 2005. She was a native of Gulfport, Miss., where she accepted Christ as her savior at an early age. She was a longtime resident of Los Angeles and was active in civic organizations to which she rendered support including inland area Urban League, YMCA, United Negro College Fund, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Wives of the Beach Bar and served as a member of the Angel City Dental Wives. Community activist Barbara was most recently employed by the Department of Labor as an equal opportunity assistant. She retired August 2002 and relocated to the Victorville area with her daughter, Leesa, and grandson, James, to be closer to her sister Priscilla Bradford. She united with Victorville Living Word Community Church shortly after her arrival. Her father, Deacon Willie Merrell, and her brothers JW, Perry and Kirby Merrell preceded her in death. She leaves to mourn her daughter, Leesa Finley, and grandson, James Robert Langston. Other immediate family members who mourn BarbaraÕs death include her mother, Deaconess Willie Mae Merrell, five brothers and five sisters. Services for Barbara Merrell Finley will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Victorville Living Word Community Church.