Obituary of Verneice Grace Jefferson-Elston

Obituary of Verneice Jefferson-Elston Verneice Grace Jefferson Elston was born to the parentage of John Arthur Jefferson and Roberta Jefferson in Houston, Texas on August 5, 1908. Following the early death of her mother, she lived with her grandparents, John and Amanda Jefferson in Bering, Texas. She persevered in spite of a series of tragedies and flukes. When her father remarried, she was reunited with him and moved to Dallas where she began her elementary education at B.F. Darrell Elementary School. His new wife died suddenly with the flu, leaving him with a young girl and an infant son. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Dixie Caldwell, carried the children to Brownwood, Texas, where she continued her education and graduated from Brownwood Colored High School. She returned to Dallas and her father enrolled her in Booker T. Washington High school in the 12th grade. Upon graduation, she held high school graduation certificates from two Texas High Schools. She was a long time member of Macedonia and Good Street Baptist Church having joined under the pastorate of Reverend E. Arlington Wilson. She was active in Sunday School, BTU, the young people's choir as well as other activities for young people. One of her fondest memories was attending one of the denominational meetings in Paris, Texas, with other young people from Macedonia Baptist Church. Throughout the years she was active in Bible study and weekly neighborhood mission meetings under the pastorate of Dr. T. M. Chambers, Sr., and the Solace Club under the pastorate of Dr. C.A.W. Clark, Sr. Beginning in the first decade of the twentieth century, the family names of Watson, Jefferson, Stanford, Sweet, Sheppard, Elston, Lang and Jones were among some of the spiritual giants of Macedonia and Good Street. She was married to Russell Elston, and to that union five children were born. He predeceased her in 1949. Her strong faith in God, her desire to provide for her family and her belief in education enabled her to see that all five of her children were college graduates after the demise of her husband. Following his death, she began domestic work outside of the home to continue providing opportunities for her children she had sought throughout their lives, i.e. summer YWCA Residence Camp as well as summer day camp, piano lessons, and typewriting lessons. She was a gifted seamstress and assisted her step-mother in making choir robes for many of the Black Dallas churches during the '40s and '50s, She was a loving and caring person whose concerns extended beyond her family to the neighbors and residents of the East Dallas community. Her volunteer work with the Block Partnership Program, Northway Christian Church, Roe's Chapel Church and other East Dallas Community volunteers enabled the community to receive some services that had never been provided. She continued her involvement with the Fannie C. Harris PTA throughout the school years of several of her grandchildren. Her spirit of volunteerism in community affairs lives on in her children who are active volunteers in religious, educational and civic pursuits. She spent much of her time trying to brighten the lives of others and was never shy about offering advice, whether requested or not. Her greatest accomplishment was guiding her family through life with courage, determination, a strong work ethic, respect and concern for all people. Her husband, parents, one brother, one daughter and one grandson preceded her in death. Survivors include three daughters, Bobbie Elston Lang, Charles Emma Elston Jones, Johnetta Elston Williams; one son, Russell Elston,(Mayde); eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Evelyn Jefferson and a host of other relatives and friends.