Memorial Day Program held by Falls County Colored Cemetery Association

“Showing Love and Appreciation to Our Deceased Loved Ones” was the theme for the Falls County Colored Cemetery Association Memorial Day Program, May 29, at the Zion Hill Baptist Church.  Rosevelt Shelley served as the Master of Ceremony.

Shirley Piper presented a Memorial Tribute in memory of those who passed 2022-2023 including Billie Angle, Gertrude Douglas, Marilyn Poole Grant, Sennetta Appleton Jones, Curtis “Jake” Modkins, Homer Solomon, Bobbie Spikes, Carolyn Weatherspoon Smith, and Georgia Mae Williams. 

The Memorial Day Message was brought by Rev. Norris Jackson, Pastor of the South Union Baptist Church in Marlin. He encouraged the audience to not allow history to repeat itself and focused on the importance of educating youth of the importance of family heritage.

To establish a cemetery for African Americans, Falls County Colored Cemetery Association was donated land by Mr. and Mrs. Huckabee an estimated 114 years ago. 

Presently, the land can accommodate 1,600 plots. Even though the original name denotes a given race, buried at the cemetery are people of all races. 

Cemetery updates included street signs that were donated by Harrell D. Williams and Winston G. Williams and installed by James Jackson. Winston Williams, shared updates on inventory project. 

He noted Google Maps had the cemetery listed as Marlin ISD and the correction has been made. A QRC has been established for the locality of plots. Plots are available and families are asked to provide permanent markers for their loved ones. Volunteers are needed to assist with the GPS of the cemetery.

Howard Moore, J. C. Williams, and Rev. William Johnson were acknowledged for many years of service to the cemetery association.