Edith Elthelda (Gill) Worthy

EDITH ELTHELDA WILLIS, the daughter of the late Grace M. Goode Willis and Lee V. Gill, was born May 3, 1935, in the City of Clairton, PA.  During her formative years, she was educated in the Clairton School District and graduated from Clairton High School in May of 1953. 

As a life-long member of the First AME Church of Clairton, Edith dedicated her life to Christ at an early age and began her Christian education through the Sunday School, the Church School Conventions, and multiple other Christ-centered activities and programs.  Through the years, under the guidance of appointed Pastors, she continued to grow and develop her personal relationship with God as Church Secretary and Bulletin Clerk, and by using the gift of music He bestowed upon her.  She mastered the art of piano and organ playing under the tutelage of her Godmother, the late, Mrs. Nellie V. Martin, former Church Organist, and practiced diligently, on a Baby Grand Piano gifted to her by her brother George "Buster" Willis.

Upon Mrs. Martin's retirement, she passed the torch onto Edith, who served as Church Organist for over 50 years.  Her fancy footwork on the pipe organ pedals was phenomenal and the way she tickled those keys on both instruments was sensational! During those years she served also as the pianist for the Senior and Junior Choirs, the Lee Grace Singers, the B.F. Lee Singers, and the director of "The Spotlights", who were featured weekly on the Mary Dee Sunday Gospel Show at the WAMO radio station in Homestead, PA.  Occasionally, she used her music ministry for services held at the Robert A. Waters Funeral Home, assisted the late, Reverend Dr. William C. Callaway at Mt. Olive Baptist Church when needed, and other local churches when called upon. She took pride in her always-manicured, fingernails and would not consider herself properly dressed without a pair of matching earrings.

Upon her retirement as Church Organist, she had prepared one of her own piano students, Melvin Long, to assume responsibilities in the church's Music Department.  And, Edith also prepared local children for preschool and kindergarten as a Day Care Provider in the home she shared with her late husband, James "Jimmy" Worthy.  They had united in marriage on December 27, 1974, and after 46 years together, he preceded her in death on December 4, 2020.

Jeffery's Mom, the favorite "Aunt EE", the one you could count on, the fun-loving Carol Burnett of the family, the one who kept you laughing, the one with a big heart full of joy humor, and love, the one we still love, spent her final days in hospice care at the Baldwin Health Center in Baldwin, PA.  It was there, on the afternoon of Saturday, July 23, 2022, that Edith E. Worthy got her wings took flight, and soared up to heaven and into the arms of God. Also preceding and waiting to greet her there were four sisters and their husbands;  Grace Burcelle & Moylan Turner, of Clairton PA, Olive & LeRoy Batts of Petersburg VA, Dorothy & Harrison Myrtle, of Washington DC, and Nellie & Duffie Dreher of Clairton PA and one brother; George Willis of Washington DC.

Mourning the loss and cherishing the memory of Edith Elthelda Willis Worthy are two sisters, Janice Watts of Clairton PA, and Geraldine Jackson of Churchill PA.  A son Jeffery D. Willis, Sr. & daughter-in-law Mechell Willis of Plano TX, and Goddaughter Kathleen Jackson Schley of Pittsburgh PA. One grandson Jeffery D. Willis, Jr. & his wife Lissette Willis of Fontana CA, one granddaughter Savannah Willis of Plano TX & one Great-granddaughter, Jaylin Willis of Hemet CA., sisters-in-law,  Maxine Worthy Al Ashby of Mitchellville, MD, Nicola White of Detroit, MD, Benita McPherson of Detroit, MI. and Zeneta Banks of Round Rock, TX, brothers-in-law, Daniel Worthy of Austin, TX and Dwayne Worthy of Detroit, MD, and generations upon generations of nieces and nephews, many cousins, many friends, and former Carver Building neighbors. To the Divine God be the Divine Glory!

MUSIC IS THE PRAYER THE HEART SINGS

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