Hannah 'Mama Lizzie' Joshua, 100

Services for Hannah Elizabeth Joshua, affectionately known to her family as Mama Lizzie and Mother Joshua to the church, are Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. at Maranatha Church.

She was born on Sept. 11, 1911, in Lake, Miss., to Winifred and Hannah Morris. Both preceded her in death.  She was preceded in death also by her late husband Willie Joshua.

Mama Lizzie moved to Portland in 1945 to work in the shipyard. After a brief tenure, she returned to Canton, Miss.,  to reside with her family. In 1955 she returned to Portland, and decided to make Portland her home. Mama Lizzie performed domestic work in addition to being a beautician, caterer, cook, and seamstress.

She was a member at Zion Hill Church of God in Christ under the leadership of the late Bishop W.L. McKinney.

She was also a member of Gethsemane Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Pastor Menefee, and New Life Church of God in Christ, under the leadership of Pastor Donald D. Bilbrew (grandson) and Brighter Day Church of God In Christ under the leadership of Pastor Johnny Taylor. In her later years, she was under the covering of Cornerstone Community Church of God in Christ, Supt. B.E. Johnson.

Mama Lizzie was known for her ability to "burn" in the kitchen. Whenever she cooked the food would go quick because it was so delicious. She was responsible for assisting many Church Pastors with financial resources to help pay for Church buildings, Pastoral Anniversaries, various Jurisdictional events, and Church fundraisers. Some of the most requested food items from her family were chitterlings, fried chicken dinners, turkey & dressing, breakfast meals, white coconut cake, lemon meringue pie and her mouth-watering sweet potato pie. The all-time favorite family desert was her homemade ice cream.

Mama Lizzie was a confidant to many individuals in the Church. She advised, taught, counseled, consoled, commiserated, shed tears, and experienced great joy with the saints of old, many who have preceded her in death. She carried many confidential matters in her heart and interceded in prayer for the saints day and night – she was a prayer warrior from the bottom of her heart and depths of her soul. Trustworthy, standard-bearer, holy, righteous, uncompromising, and saintly is just a few words to describe her character and demeanor. Mama Lizzie was known for telling it like it is! She did not mince words and you knew where she stood on every issue and she did not waiver but stood firm – her yea was yea and her nay was nay. Mama Lizzie was a revered Churchwoman who will go down in history as a great pioneer in the Church of God in Christ.

Mama Lizzie leaves to cherish her memories: her only child-her daughter, Rosie Lee Holmes, nine grand-children: Jacqueline Nichols, Elizabeth Fae Richard, Mercedes Mazique (George), Donald D. Bilbrew, Darnell Bilbrew, Valarie Berry (James), Valora Mason, Toni Booker (Michael), and Terri Tinnon (Andrew), thirty-three great-grand children, forty-seven great great grandchildren, six great great great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, God-children, family and friends. 

Please go to www.terryfamilyfuneralhome.com to sign the guestbook.  Arrangements entrusted to Terry Family Funeral Home