Janie Welters Obituary

WELTERS, Janie "Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live for God today." Janie Yates Welters was the daughter of the late Joseph Wash Yates and Carrie Williams. She was born in 1911 into a family of 12 brothers and sisters and reared in Ruffin, SC. She was educated in the Ruffin Community School. At an early age she joined Ruffin Baptist Church which had such an impact on her that she lived a dedicated, holy life until the day of her passing on Sunday, December 16, 2007. She was joined in Holy Matrimony to the late James Anderson in 1937. To that union, two children were born; a son, James Anderson and a daughter, Claryn Anderson, both of whom preceded her in death. She later moved to Manhattan, New York. There she began her serious work for the Lord. In 1957, she was ordained a licensed Baptist Minister and founded her first prayer band in Brooklyn, New York. During this time she also became an ordained Evangelist in the Zion Church of God in Christ. She founded her second prayer band in Ridgeville, SC, her third in Ocala, Florida, and her fourth at the Jefferson in Arlington, Virginia. Through this prayer band she taught people to love God, their families, and encouraged them to better their communities by improving educational opportunities. She was joined in Holy Matrimony in 1963 to Gordon Welters, whom she called "Precious," and who preceded her in death in 1999. To that union came five loving children uniting her with Danny, Charles, Anthony, Madeline and Stephen. In 1996 she moved to Arlington, Virginia and there she joined the Community Praise Center Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She immediately became active in starting a prayer band and in the senior's ministry. Her devotion inspired a prayer band that meets every Sabbath morning before first service. She was known for her spirited response to the sermons. She was loved by members of her church, and she loved her church and her church family. Janie leaves to cherish her memories five devoted children: her son, Anthony (Beatrice) of McLean, Virginia, Dannie Gore (Yvonne) of Raleigh, North Carolina, Charles Gore of Stockton, California, Madeline of Stockton, California, and Stephen (Demettra) of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; her grandchildren, Janie Carter, Theresa, Leslie and James Anderson, Jr., Christopher and Catherine Gore, Denise, Yvette, Brian, Dannie, Jr., Ella, Dannie, III, Sean and Tiffany Gore, Andrew and Bryant Welters, Tiffany Smith-Baber, Timothy Welters, Yolanda Baber, Melanie Baber, Danita Baber, Dante Williams and Monique Welters, 13 great grandchildren, two loving sisters, Chesalee Harbison of Summerville, SC, and Clara Graves of Manhattan, New York, and a devoted great-niece, Delores White and a host of relatives, nieces, nephews and devoted friends. She was predeceased by nine brothers and sisters. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 20, 2007, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the National Funeral Home, 7482 Lee Highway, Falls Church, Virginia. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 21, 2007 in the National Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at National Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations in her honor may be made to the Community Praise Center Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 1400 Russell Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22301. Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.