Black, Gwendolyn – The Daily Progress

Gwendolyn Fields Black, 90, passed away on Friday, June 23, 2017. She was born to Lester Fields and Frankie Davis Fields on November 15, 1926. Gwen was married to her beloved husband Raymond M. Black, who preceded her in death. Gwen was born in Bryant, Va., but was raised in Beech Grove, Va., in the heart of the lovely Blue Ridge Mountains. She was also preceded in death by one sister, Marion Brown. She is survived by four devoted siblings, LaVerne Napier, James Fields, Sylvia Witt, and Carolyn Mattox; and by her brother-in-law, Carlton Mattox. Gwen did not have children herself, but was a loving, generous aunt to her nieces and nephews, Donnie Brown, Dale Brown, Frankie Ann Kirtland, Debbie Garcia, Denise McClanahan, Vivian Brown, Keith Mattox, Diane Crickenberger, and Scott Mattox. Numerous great-nieces and nephews also remember Aunt Gwen with great fondness. The pall-bearers, Dale Brown, Keith Mattox, Scott Mattox, Jacob Anderson, Nathan Anderson, and Rachel Hysong, are all her nephews and nieces, and feel so honored to help lay her to rest. Gwen retired after a long career at General Electric. She and her husband Raymond enjoyed camping and square dancing. Gwen loved to raise flowers and feed the birds. Her Christian faith was extremely important to her. She was a charter member of Westwood Baptist Church, and a current member of Wayne Hills Baptist Church. One of Gwen's strongest characteristics was her generosity. She was very giving of her time and money to family and church. As one niece put it, she had a "heart of gold." She will be sorely missed, but her family is assured that she is now in Heaven, with her Lord. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? "Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:53-57 A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 26, 2017, at McDow Funeral Home in Waynesboro, Va. Interment will follow at Augusta Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 25, 2017, at McDow Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Hospice of the Shenandoah, 64 Sports Medicine Drive, Fishersville, VA 22939, or to Cystic Fibrosis, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100, North Bethesda, MD 20814. The family would also like to thank Waynesboro Manor for their devoted and kind long-term care of Gwen. A special thanks and recognition go to her faithful sisters, LaVerne and Sylvia, who cared for her constantly and with enormous devotion in her waning years. With their lives they fulfilled Galatians 6:2: "Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."

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Black, Gwendolyn - The Daily Progress