Geneva (Claggett) Jefferies

Mrs. Geneva Jefferies was born in 1925 in Duquesne, Pennsylvania to the late Thomas and Annie Kate Claggett.  She is one of nine children and the oldest of one surviving child, Iola Rebecca Morris.  She graduated from the Duquesne Public School.  She accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in 1936 and has been an active and devoted member of the Daniel Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church of Duquesne for 83 years.  She was dedicated by the late Bishop McKinley Young as a Deaconess of the A.M.E. Church on April 17, 2015.

Her Payne Chapel Church appointments include: serving as a former Sunday School teacher, a Stewardess since 1959, and its President for nine years, and a member of the Steward Board for over seven decades and its Commission on Stewardship and Finance for 25 years.  She attended seven General Conferences.

Mrs. Jefferies has been an active member of the Payne Chapel Alma A. Polk Missionary Society and the Pittsburgh Annual Conference Branch WMS for more than 75 years.  In her local WMS, Mrs. Jefferies served as its Vice President, Treasurer, and a Delegate on many occasions to the Pittsburgh Annual Conference Branch WMS.  In the Pittsburgh Annual Conference Branch WMS, she served as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, the Annual Spring Fund-Raisers, Co-chairperson of Annual Conference Banquet, Chairperson of Budget and Finance, and Conference Treasurer.  She attended all WMS Pittsburgh Annual Conferences and eight Quadrennial Conventions of the WMS, often as a Delegate or Alternate.  She became a Life Member of WMS in 2006, one of her greatest joys!  Mrs. Jefferies has also been an active member of the Payne Chapel Joseph A. Battle Laymen’s Organization for more than 55 years.

In her community, she was an active member of the Phyllis Wheatley Literary Society of Duquesne and Treasurer for 25 years.  She was a community worker of the Allegheny County Board of Elections for 10 years.

Mrs. Jefferies’ life was all about her church and family.  She shared 57 years of marriage with the late Darius V. Jefferies, and they are the proud parents of two daughters, Charlotte Jefferies Jones (Jackie Jones) and Cheryl Jefferies Cozart (O’Neil Cozart).  She is the very proud grandmother of four grandchildren, Robin, Charisse, Cameo (Travis), and Jeffrey, five great-grandchildren, six great, great-grandchildren, aunt and great aunt to more than 30 nieces and nephews, and sister-in-law, Elizabeth Jefferies.

Mrs. Jefferies believes that life is a mission and one must live it lovingly, while serving, comforting and protecting those in need, ever mindful to continuously give God all the praise and the glory.

Friends will be received on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. in the Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church, 601 Priscilla Avenue, Duquesne, Pennsylvania, where services will be held on Monday at 11:00 a.m. 

In memory of Geneva Jefferies contributions may be made payable to Payne Chapel AME Church for the John Green Scholarship Fund and mailed to Payne, 601 Priscilla Ave., Duquesne, PA 15110.Arrangements entrusted to Robert A. Waters Funeral Home, Inc., Clairton, PA.

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