A Service of Thanksgiving and Witness to the Resurrection for the Life of Verdelle Clair McNair, October 2, 1921- November 26, 2010, Thursday, December 2, 2010- 1:00 P.M., Hillside Presbyterian Church, 1879 Columbia Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032, Reverend Winston A. Lawson, Officiating, Debron Delk Organist

~ Service '![rrhanksBivinB andWitness tv the tResurrectiOfl..J
jor the Life if
Verdee C(air 'Mc'lfair
October 2, 1921- November 26, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010 - 1:00 P.M.
Wa5ide Presbyterian cfiurcfL
1879 Columbia Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30032
~erendWinstvn 'A. Lawson Officiating 1Je6ron 1Je(f Organist

Obituary
Veriee %lriette C(air tM.c'J'.fair
Verdelle, born October 2, 1921, in Sanford, Florida, was the oldest child of Estella Stowe and Clifford Clair. She died peacefully at Golden Living Center in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 26, 2010.
In the late 1920s, the Clair family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Verdelle and her siblings attended grade school and were active members in church. Once graduating from West Charlotte High School, Verdelle began her adult life as a freshman at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina. While she studied hard and made new friends at Bennett, Verdelle met and married her sweetheart, Kermit McNair Sr., a student at the neighboring A&T College of North Carolina. Verdelle gave birth to their first child, Dorothy, in 1943, followed by Oyenike, Kermit Jr., Orolando, Walter Sr., and Ronald.
Driven to succeed and looking to provide the best education for their family, Kermit Sr.'s job as a chemist and educator led Verdelle and the family to move between Greensboro, Boston, StLouis, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C. While living in D.C., Verdelle worked as a clerk for the Department of the Navy and years later co-founded Eastern Pharmacy with her husband
The McNair family moved on to New York City in 1960. In 1962, the family experienced the unfortunate passing of Kermit Sr. Several years later, Verdelle met Larry Holdip and the two remained lifelong friends. During this time, Verdelle worked for New Era and Liberty Letter, retiring in 1986. As an active member of Fort Washington Presbyterian Church and Fort Washington Collegiate Church, she served as a deacon and elder under the leadership of Senior Minister Norman Vincent Peale.
In 1990, Verdelle moved to Lithonia, Georgia where she was active at Salem Presbyterian Church. She later became a member of Hillside Presbyterian Church where she served as an elder, Sunday school teacher, member of Presbyterian Women, and devoted member of Nurture Group E.
Verdelle, a very forgiving mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and friend, leaves behind her sister, Katherine Alston; her children, Dorothy M. Simmons, Oyenike Osiapem, Kermit McNair, Orolando McNair and wife Sharon, Walter McNair and wife Ernestine; her eighteen grandchildren, Kim and Kaila Simmons, lyabo Osiapem, married to Robert Vinson, and KaiMariama Osiapem, Danica, Shannon, Kristine, Devin Sr., Shambrea and Khamadi McNair, Deron and Orolando McNair Jr., Alii McFadden, married to Andrea, Shaquala McNair, Imani Ford, married to Milan, Walter Jr. and Whitney McNair, and Parys McNair; her twenty-two great-grandchildren, Tandile, Jeremiah, Taylor, Taryn, Trinity, Zaquan, Christian, Ryan, Devin Jr., Andre, Lyric, Jordan, John, Monique, Maya, Shakilah, Shanay, Shaheim, Shadiyah, Kayla, Aliyah and Ethan; and extended family members, Larry Holdip, Katherine's children and grandchildren, George Allen and family, the McNair family, Robert, Elaine and Pauline, the Duncanson family, Eugene Harvey, Rena Smith-Kiawu, Janice Smith, Connie Steed, Nanyamka Fisher, and the Simmons and Harvey families of Bermuda. She was preceded in death by her son Ronald, brothers Clifford Joe Clair, Jr. and L.A Stowe, and Jeff Ogden.

%e Ca([tv Worshft'_
Liturgist: I will bless the Lord at all times; God's praise shall continually be in my mouth. People: My Soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad
All: 0 magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt God's name together. Amen.
if 'The ~ffirmation 'Faith
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve ...
We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God, Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.
Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal ...
With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Order of Service
The Organ Prelude --------------------------------------------------Debron Delk - Organist u!Jlve 'M..aria"
The Call to Worship----------------------------------------------Reverend Winston Lawson The Hymn ------------------------------------------------------------Congregation
"fJhere is a Sweet Sweet Syirit" No 326 (AA. Hymnal) The Affirmation Of Faith (Insert) The Hymn ---------------------------------------------------------------Congregation
'"}[ow reat 'Tfiou ?lrt" No 148 (A.A. Hymnal) The Prayer of Invocation --------------------------------------Reverend Connie Lee The Solo -----------------------------------------------------------------Elder Raymie Malloy
'riJf '1 Can 1-fe~ Some6oi;r
The Obituary -----------:---------------------------------------------Kai-Mariama Osiapem The Tributes------------------------------------------------------------Orolando McNair
Rena Smith-Kiawu Reverend Dr. Joseph Thompson The Scriptures: The Old Testament - Psalm 121: 1-8 --------Orolando McNair The New Testament- Revelation 21:1-4a---Sharon Whitfield McNair
The Music Selection ---------------------------------------------Terrell Hunt
"?lwesome (jotV'
The Homily---------------------------------------------------------------Reverend Winston Lawson
The Recessional Hymn---------------------------------------------Congregation
"'Ihe Strife is O'er" No. 277 (A.A Hymnal)
The Benediction--------------------------------------------------------Reverend Winston Lawson
The Organ Postlude "Peace in tfi Vaffe;r

Poem
A Mother's love is something that no one can explain, It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain, It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . . It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking ... It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns, And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . . It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation, And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . . A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand And another wondrous evidence Of god's tender guiding hand.
-Helen Steiner Rice
P aHbearern
Alif McFadden Orolando McNair, Jr. Walter McNair, Jr. Robert Vinson Marcus Lee Jonathan Childress
Acknowledgements
The family of Verdelle Clair McNair would like to express that our hearts have been touched by the outpouring of prayers, support, love, kindness and encouragement. We sincerely thank you and ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers.