Warsella Thompson

Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, Dear Friend – Sister Warsella Thompson (97) of Cleveland, Ohio peacefully transitioned from this life to meet her Savior Christ Jesus on Tuesday July 20, 2021. The third of ten children, and the second eldest of seven daughters from the holy union between Arthur Garfield Thompson and Henrietta (nee Sims), she is preceded in death by her parents, an infant sister Artensis, and siblings Leroy, Naomi, Jessie Mae, Annie Sue, James Matthew and Mamie Sue.

Warsella is a granddaughter of Elias and Mary (nee Nichols) Thompson (Plantersville, Georgetown County, South Carolina), and a great granddaughter of the enslaved great-grandparents-Nelson and Nellie (nee Washington) Thompson who all are buried at Chicora Woods Cemetery (Slave), Plantersville, South Carolina. Her great grandfather Nelson Thompson, emancipated after the Confederate Army surrender, acquired 403 acres of farmland in Plantersville, SC where her father was born.

Warsella was born in the small coal mining town – hamlet of Jenkin Jones, (McDowell County) West Virginia on September 12, 1923 where her young father, Arthur Garfield Thompson found coal miner pay more suitable than South Carolina farming, as suggested by his sister Aunt Anna Rosalee who had married, relocated with her husband Andrew Anderson to Jenkin Jones. Warsella attended segregated grade school in Landgraph WVA during her formative years, Gladstone Elementary School and graduated Old Central High School in 1942 after her entire family relocated to Cleveland in 1936 during the harsh years of the 1933 Depression.

Warsella received her evangelical calling to Jesus Christ at an early age, was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost under the pastorate of Elder Thomas Bookman, and since dedicated her life journey to reading, writing, studying scriptures, spreading and sharing the gospel with friends, family, and strangers. A devout Christian, dedicated to her family, Warsella was a time traveler on loan to this world to grace our lives. For a short time period Warsella even broadcasted an AM radio Christian gospel /scriptures program throughout the Cleveland airwaves.

Warsella enjoyed many vocations, yet her most memorable work was Assistant Urban Planner alongside her sister Mamie Sue at The Cleveland Planning Commission. She received an Urban Planning Associates Degree from Cuyahoga Community College- (TriC) in 1968.

Warsella is survived by her living siblings, first brother, Willie Jay Thompson (Marsena) of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, youngest sister, Doris Jean Renshaw of Tupelo, Mississippi, grandsons SCPO Clifford R Brown (US Navy, MD), Eric M Rodgers (Cleveland), Nathan Sanders (Elayne)
Los Angeles, granddaughter Suzette L Thompson (Oakland CA), great grandsons Elijah Sanders, Nesigh Sanders, great granddaughter Braelie Ingram, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from all over the world; and especially she leaves wonderful cherished memories to her loving daughter, Rosemary (Akron) and her faithful son, Kelvin (Oakland CA).

Warsella will rest alongside her family in Evergreen Memorial Park, Northfield Rd , Bedford Heights, Ohio.