Rites held for Serena Wallace Dow

Published 10:32 am Thursday, June 30, 2016

Serena Wallace Dow was born on May 30, 1922, in Sumpter, South Carolina, to Serena James and Preston Wallace. Serena a.k.a. “Willie” life began in South Carolina before moving to Virginia where she was educated in the Lunenburg County School system and found the Lord. She joined Blackwell Temple AME Zion Church at an early age and remained an active member until her health began to decline.

Willie worked as a sharecropper for many years and also at Commonwealth Tobacco Co. until she retired as a housewife.

Willie was a friend and mother to all that she knew and she was honored with the title “Granny” by all of the neighborhood children. Her front yard was their “Bus Stop.”

On February 13, 1938, she was united in holy matrimony to Rubin Dow Sr. and to this union eight children were born.

On this day, June 16, 2016, at VCU Community Memorial Healthcenter in South Hill, Virginia, the Lord selected another flower for His “Heavenly Garden”: Serena Dow.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Rubin Sr.; son Rubin Jr.; daughter Betty; and great-grandchild Reshema Dow.

Serena leaves to mourn: five daughters: Susie Jones, Shirley Harris and Emma Hite, of Kenbridge, Virginia; Mary Webb, of Blackstone, Virginia; Bobbi Ricard, of Burkeville, Virginia; one son, David Dow; one daughter-in-law, Shirley Dow, both of Kenbridge, Virginia; one son-in-law, Raymond Ricard, of Biloxi, Mississippi; one sister-in-law: Gladys (Gus) McFadden, of Newark, New Jersey. Twenty-six grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, 75 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild; devoted grandson, James Jones, a.k.a. “WeeWee” of the home; lifetime family friend George Banks.

Interment was held at Blackwell Temple AME Zion Church Cemetery.

S.P. Jones & Son Funeral Home are in charge of arrangments.

spjonesandson.com