Gladys Mae Irvins

She was born in Nasemond County, Virginia to Mittie Peele. At the age of twelve, she accepted Jesus Christ into her life at Antioch Baptist church in Jackson. She graduated high school in May 1942, and attended the State Teachers' College for one semester in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Coming home to New York to live with her mother in June of 1943, where her first job was in the garment industry. She was also an employee of Gimbel's Department Store and between those two jobs she did domestic work.

She started attending Victory Baptist Church where she met her husband, Joseph lrvins. They married in 1949. She became widowed in 1959.

Years later she met Johnny Carter, who gave her two daughters who in turn blessed her with three grandsons.

In 1989, she graduated from the College of New Rochelle's School of New Resources and opened a pre-kindergarten learning center.

In the late 1990's she joined Co-Op City Baptist Church where she was consecrated a Deaconess, voted in as a Walking-Deacon, then ordained a Deacon on July 20, 2008. She also served as a member of the Building fund Ministry, and both the Sunrise and Senior Choirs. She was a Sunday School teacher, and a member of the Prison Ministry.

In 2013, after the death of her eldest daughter, she moved to Hope Mills, NC to be near her other daughter and grandson. She became a cherished member of First Baptist Church of Hope Mills and served on the praise team. Over the years she converted a few non-huggers into huggers with her hugs, that with just arms, communicated a genuine sense of God’s love.

She was also a frequent visitor of Jesus First Church’s Sunday evening service where she occasionally gave encouraging testimony and sang with their praise team too.

She always thanked God for her journey from birth until that moment she drew her last breath. Knowing each step was orchestrated and guided by God and His angels. She loved all of God's children and had a special love for each member of her church family.

She loved God's word and how everything in scripture is useful for teaching and helping people, for correcting them and showing them how to live. (2 Timothy 3: 16)

Left to cherish her memory are…

Daughter Renee Irvins. Grandsons Theron, Terence and Darius. God-daughter Michelle Powell and her daughter. Cousins Pernell Powell, his wife Lynn, his five children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren; Valerie Taylor and her two children; James Benn, his four children and granddaughter; Gail Benn, her three children and two grandchildren; Reginald Benn, his son and granddaughter; And Robert Benn, his three children and granddaughter.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Doreen Sutton.

There will be a Home Going Service held in the Reeves Funeral Home Chapel on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 3 PM with Pastor Wilbert Harrison presiding. A visitation with family and friends will be held from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. prior to the service. Burial will take place at a later date in the Pinelawn Memorial Park of Farmingdale, NY.