Sella Marie Armand

Sella Marie was born September 22, 1946, in Starkville, Mississippi to Dorothy Louise Sudduth and Johnnie Rush. At 3 weeks old she was taken to Birmingham, Alabama and adopted by Darnell Jewett and Alice Bishop Jewett. There she attended Sherman Heights Elementary where she was often asked to write her teachers' lessons on the chalkboard for the class because of her excellent penmanship. Sella Marie later attended Western Olin High School.

At the age of 12, Sella was baptized by Pastor Glover at Mt. Arate Baptist Church. Shortly before coming to California, she joined hands in marriage with William Lawson on July 19, 1962, in Birminghman, Alabama. From that union, Demetris was born. They relocated to California in 1965 and later gave life to three more children, Curtis Terrell, Alice Faye and Antonio.

Sella joined Greater Circle Mission Church with Pastor Givens and in 1974, she later joined Greater Missionary Baptist Church with Pastor C.L. Birden and rededicated her life along with her children being baptized.

Sella worked as a Technician for Hughes Aircraft Company. She nurtured the family and neighborhood with her delicious cooking and was known for saying "What Chu Say?!"

Sella Marie loved the Lord was dedicated to her daily devotions. She enjoyed reading, writing, cooking, and baking. Her Homemade Banana Pudding was and remains the family's signature dessert. She was a beautiful woman and the real McCoy. Feisty, with a swift hand. She had a good heat and she spoke her mind. She would often say "I'm telling you what God Love!" with a finger waiving high.

On August 19, 2018, Sella Marie changed her number for the very last time and went home to be with her Heavenly Father. Sella leaves to cherish her memory four children: Demetris Lawson (Wife Alicia), Curtis Terrell Lawson (Wife Grisel), Alice Faye Lawson (Son-in-law Garth Davis), and Antonio Lawson (Wife Tamiko); her 23 grandchildren, Demetris Jr., Dominique, Keye, Kristian, Ashley, Victoria, Curtis Jr. (Wife-MsKeisha), Caylyn, Calvin, Emily, Natalia, Isaiah, Isabella, Shalon, Shaquan, Syon, Latoya, Antonio Jr., Tyann, Andre, Anthony, Antonia, Kaydon; 12 great-grandchildren, Jayden, Judge IV, Kaylen, Vayla, McKenzie, Owen, August, Curtis 3rd, Lashania, Annette, Koda, Logan, two brothers, Bill Rush, Donell West, and her nieces and nephew Hazel, Loretta, and Alvis and a host of relatives and friends. Her parents, sisters Darice Caldwell, Rosetta Rodriguez-Phillips, Jacqueline Ike, and Dorothy Brown, brother Thadeus "Bo" West and her beloved William Lawson, preceded her in death.