- Collection:
- Atlanta Funeral Programs Collection
- Title:
- Celebration of Life for Mr. Anthony Laray Sawyer, Sunrise: April 2, 1957 - Sunset: May 31, 2012, Friday, June 8, 2012, 1:00 p.m., Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home - Chapel, 1003 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30310, Minister Terry Kelly, Officiating, Bishop Jeronn C. Williams, Eulogist
- Contributor to Resource:
- African-American Historical and Genealogical Society (Washington, D.C.). Metro Atlanta Chapter
Wesley Chapel Genealogy Group - Date of Original:
- 2012-06-08
- Subject:
- African American men--Georgia--Atlanta--History--20th century
African Americans--Funeral customs and rites--Georgia--Atlanta--History--20th century
Funeral rites and ceremonies--Georgia--Atlanta---History--20th century
Funeral service--Georgia--Atlanta--History--20th century
Mourning customs--Georgia--Atlanta--History--20th century
African Americans--Georgia--Atlanta--Genealogy - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798
- Medium:
- church records
programs (documents)
records (documents) - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- Funeral program for Anthony Laray Sawyer. Birth date: October 12, 1987. Death date: (not recorded). Funeral date: January 28, 2013. Church: Elizabeth Baptist Church (Atlanta, Ga.). The Atlanta Funeral Programs Collection is a project of the Digital Library of Georgia in association with the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture and History as part of Georgia HomePLACE. The project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:aarl_afpc_sawyeranthonylaray20120608
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:aarl_afpc_sawyeranthonylaray20120608
- Language:
- eng
- Extent:
- 1 page
- Holding Institution:
- Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture and History
- Rights:
-
HONORARY PALLBEARERS (Nephews)
Daryle Ashurst Paul G. David, Jr. Lofton H. King, Jr.
Calvin Willis Maurice Willis Lee Maxwell Stargell
FLOWER GIRLS (Nieces)
Tanika Gibbs Jasmynne Fort-Horton Damita Stargell Kimberly David Jerrina King Tabitha David Gloria Ashurst
Brittney Sawyer ~rica Sawyer Amber King Ashley King Jessica Sawyer Tiara Ashurst
Cefe6ration ofLife Por
9vlr. }lntliony Laray Sawyer
Sunrise April 2, 1957
Sunset May 31 , 201 2
The family of Anthony Laray Sawyer would like to thank everyone for their many expressions of love, understanding and comfort shown during our time of need. May the peace and blessing of God rest on each of you, is our prayer.
Friday, June 8, 2012 - 1:00 p.m.
Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home- Chapel 1003 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30310
Minister Terry Kelly, Officiating
Bishop Jeronn C. Williams, Eulogist
rrlie 06ituary
Anthony Laray Sawyer was born April 2, 1957 to Marion Jean Graham and Frederick Moore in Kokomo, Indiana where he spent his formative years. At age 7, he moved with his parents Cornelius Sawyer, Jr. and Marion Jean Sawyer, with his siblings to Atlanta, Georgia.
Anthony attended Walter White Elementary School and D.M. Therrell High School. He was a faithful employee and supervisor at Atlanta Housing Authority for 20 years. His church memberships included Piney Grove Baptist Church, The Move of God Church and Dominion World Outreach Center.
Anthony was a fun loving individual who loved his family and had a creative art for expressive and dramatic communication. He often commanded an audience by way of his humor and countless stories that never ended, if you dared to give him one minute of your undivided attention. Growing up, his siblings likened him to "Spanky" on the Little Rascals as he was a proud instigator of being the one to get things started while making sure the joke or reprimand was never on him. He loved playing neighborhood sports, watching cartoons, fishing, playing cards, dominoes and family get-togethers with "Uno" and Monopoly. He loved to sing music by the Temptations and Drifters. His favorite movie was "Godzilla" and "Five Heartbeats". Anthony had a beautiful voice. His love for cooking and wearing the title of grill-master caused him to self-proclaim that "his meat was so tender that you could cut it with a piece of light bread"! He loved to watch people enjoy eating his food. His compassion was larger than life for those who were less fortunate and for the elderly. Anthony was a down to earth, keep it 100 man who took pride in his appearance and was an entrepreneur in his own rites. He had a restaurant, purchased and sold ole-skool cars and anything else that would tum him a profit. He enjoyed making money. More than anything, he enjoyed controversial verbal sparring with his Mom, 2-3 times a day, on a daily basis. He loved his mother. Their relationship was one of a kind.
After a 19 year battle with kidney failure, dialysis, hypertension, an artificial heart valve and stomach aneurysm, God honored his request to be with him and Anthony entered into eternal rest on Thursday, May 31, 2012. The most beautiful ending to his story is Anthony made peace and reconciliation with God and his family. He is healed and made whole!
Preceding him in death is his birth father, Frederick Moore; grandparents whom he loved dearly, Richard & Leola Graham; uncle; Herman Stubberfield. He leaves to cherish his memory; a son Antonio Sawyer; daughters, Laneka (Lil Mama) Sawyer and Monique Roberson; mother; Marion J. Sawyer; father; Cornelius Sawyer, Jr.; brothers; Demetrius (Yvette) Stubberfield, Randy Sawyer and Warren Sawyer; sisters; Debora (Eric) Smith; Theresa Sawyer and Damita (Paul) David; one grandchild; Chloe Nevaeh Sawyer; several aunts; uncles; nieces; nephews; cousins; other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly.
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'Tiie Order ofService
Friday, June 8, 2012r_ _ _ _ _ _ __.../' Minister Terry Kelly, Officiating
PROCESSIONAL ........................................................................... . PRAYER..............................................................Minister Terry Kelly SCRIPTURE (Old & New Testament) ......................Pastor Paul G. David, Sr. MINISTRY OF MUSIC ..................Minister Kevin Lemons & Higher Calling WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT .........................Pastor Paul G. David, Sr. OBITUARY...................................................................Read Silently REMARKS .................................... ." ......................... 2 Minutes Please SPECIAL TRIBUTES 6y tliefami{y....... ............................................... .. MINISTRY OF MUSIC ..................................................... Castena Kelly EULOGY ...................................................... Bishop Jeronn C. Williams CLOSING PRAYER.... ....................................Bishop Jeronn C. Willliams ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................... Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home COMMITTAL ................................ ...... ........... Bishop Jeronn C. Williams RECESSIONAL ..................................................................... ..... ... .
*There will be no Interment and dinner providedfor the family andfriend following these services.