Obituaries from the Michigan Chronicle October 1 - 7, 1997 Page D-7

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COBB - Leroy C. Cobb - Services for Leroy C. Cobb were held Sept. 16 at Thompson Funeral Home with Bishop Philip Pulliam officiating. Mr. Cobb was 51 years old when he died Sept. 9. Born June 29, 1946, Mr. Cobb joined the Armed Forces in 1967 and served honorably for two years. Mr. Cobb is survived by two sisters, Delores Hughes and Princetta Spencer; one brother-in-law, Robert Simpson; one aunt, Margaret Saline Anderson; four nephews; 7 nieces; 10 great nephews, 10 great nieces; cousin, Alonzo McKissack; and a host of other relatives. Arrangements were made by Thompson Funeral Home. Interment was at Detroit Memorial Park-West.

DENNIS - Judith E. Dennis - Services for Judith Evelyn Dennis were held Sept. 23 at Thompson Funeral Home with Bishop Philip Pulliam officiating. Ms. Dennis was 41 years old when she died Sept. 16. Born June 9, 1956, Ms. Dennis was educated in the Detroit Public School system. Ms. Dennis is survived by her four children, Donald, Keith, James and Dolores; her grandmother, Vergel Ross; sister, Cynthia Dennis; and a host of other relatives. Arrangements were made by Thompson Funeral Home. Interment was at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery.

FURLOW - Erma Jean Furlow - Services for Erma Jean Furlow were held at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church with the Rev. Charles G. Adams officiating. Ms. Furlow was 55 when she died Sept. 8 at home. Born Sept. 12, 1941, in Americus, Ga., to Flora Walker and Boman Wiley, Ms. Furlow joined Campbell AME Church at an early age and later moved to Hartford, Connecticut. She moved to Detroit in 1978. Ms. Furlow was the editor and publisher of the Northwest Courant, a local publication, as well as vice president of the Black Yellow Pages until ownership changed early this year. She joined Hartford Memorial Baptist Church Jan. 13, 1993, and became a volunteer for many community activities, politicians and causes throughout the city. She also did many things for her grandchildren, so many that she was dubbed the "car pooling Grandma." She even often brought along a friend's grandchild. Mrs. Furlow is survived by her father; son, Jack; brothers, Wade W. Fuller, Willie J. Fuller, Jerry H. Fuller, Bernard Fuller, Boman Wiley Jr.; sisters, Bobbie J. Wiley, Gwenvre L. Bullard and a host of other relatives and friends. Interment was at Gethsemane Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home Inc.

FUQUA - Robert C. Fuqua - Services for Robert C. Fuqua were held Sept. 13 at Canaan Baptist Church with the Rev. Steve Arthur officiating. Mr. Fuqua was 48 when he died Sept. 8 in Henry Ford Hospital. Born June 20, 1949 to Wallace and Georgia Fuqua in Lauderdale County, Rodgersville, Ala., Mr. Fuqua was the youngest of six children. He came to Detroit at age 1 and attended church and public school. He married the former Patty Harrison in 1969. Mr. Fuqua, who loved to sing and watch television, is survived by his mother; son, Robert Charles Jr.; brother, Dempsie; sisters, Hazella Smith, Ada Johnson; and a host of other relatives and friends. Interment was at Gethsemane Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home.

HOOPER - Walter Hooper - Services for Walter Hooper were held Sept. 22, at Thompson Funeral Home with Bishop Phillip Pulliam officiating. Mr. Hooper was 57 years old when he died Sept. 22. Born April 6, 1940, Mr. Hooper was educated in the Detroit Public Schools and served in the United States Army in the 101^st Air Borne Division. He was employed with Chrysler Corporation of Toledo, Ohio, where he worked for a number of years. Mr. Hooper is survived by his companion, Trena; brother, Clarence Sherman Hooper; five children, Donny, Wanda, LuWanna, Marcus and Courtney; and a host of other relatives. Arrangements were made by Thompson Funeral Home. Entombment was at Woodlawn Mausoleum.

MADGETT - William H. Madgett - Services for William H. Madgett were held Sept. 12 at Swanson Funeral Home Inc. Mr. Madgett was 83 when he died Sept. 7 at Cottage Hospital in Grosse Pointe. Born Dec. 4, 1913 to the late Bill Madgett and Isabelle Madgett Pitts, Mr. Madgett married Geraldine Glasco and the couple bore two children. He later married Naomi Long. Mr. Madgett served in the Army Signal Corps in World War II and retired from his job at the U. S. Post Office. He is survived by his sons, William Harold, Alpha Gerald; a daughter-in-law, Mary; two grandchildren, Steven, Nicole; and a host of other relatives and friends. Arrangements were made by Swanson Funeral Home Inc.

ROWDEN - Elma T. Rowden - Services for Elma T. Rowden were held Sept. 13 at Gerard Catholic Church with Fr. Don Archambault officiating. Mrs. Rowden died Sept. 6 at 9 p.m. at the age of 74. Born to Matthew "Hack" Jackson and Flora Jackson Dec. 28, 1922 in Peoria, Ill., Mrs. Rowden graduated from Mound City High School in Mound, Ill., and later became a licensed cosmetologist. After moving to Detroit, she married John Rowden March 11, 1955. For more than 30 years she was a member of the Subud Association, an international organization of people who work and worship together for peace. She was a regional helper for 16 Midwestern states. Mrs. Rowden became a Catholic and joined St. Gerard Church April 14, 1979. She is survived by her husband; sisters, Geneva Archibald, Juanita Madison, Ruby Robinson, Norma Sanders; a niece, Elree Watkins; and a host of other relatives and friends. Interment was at Detroit Memorial Park-West, Redford Twp. Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home Inc.

SCHIFF - Jacob Jack Schiff - He was known as "Jack" to his family and friends and could have been fondly dubbed "The Bard" by those who frequented his drugstore in Lafayette Park. Jacob Jack Schiff, a Detroit businessman for 68 years, parlayed his sense of humor into "Jack's Jingles, a series of witty slogans, that he posted in his store. Some of the slogans drew customers who stopped in to see what he had come up with that day. Mr. Schiff succumbed to prostate cancer Sunday, Sept. 21.

Born in New York, he had been a resident of Detroit since his family moved here in 1911. He attended Cass Technical High School and graduated from Wayne State University Pharmacy School in 1929 after working his way through college selling fruits and vegetables at the Eastern Market. In 1929, he opened Jefferson Hall Pharmacy, serving the near-east side of Detroit until 1959 when the land was claimed for redevelopment. In 1962, at the age of 54, with the enthusiasm of a much younger man, he opened Richard's Drugs in the Lafayette park. He worked there seven days a week until age 88 when his illness forced his retirement. In 1966, he was presented a Detroit City Council testimonial resolution for his long years of service to the community.

Graveside services were held Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Adat Shalom Cemetery in Livonia. Arrangements were by the Dorfman Funeral Home of Southfield. Mr. Schiff is survived by his wife, Rose; son, Richard; daughter, Cynthia Bovitz, and three grandchildren. The family requests that contributions in his name be made to Hospice of Michigan, 16250 Northland Dr., #121, Southfield, MI 48075, or any charity of choice.

SHAW - Leslie Frank Shaw - Services for Leslie Frank Shaw were held Sept. 19 at Thompson Funeral Home with Pastor John Greer officiating. Mr. Shaw, 43, died Sept. 14. Born Aug. 25, 1954, Mr. Shaw was educated in the Detroit Public School and Seventh Day Adventist School system. He graduated from Highland Park High School and later attended Highland Park Community College. Mr. Shaw is survived by his two sons, James and Davonne; mother, Mary Lee Collins; two sisters, Christine Everett and Connie Shaw; one granddaughter, DeJanette; one great grandmother, Emma C. Henderson; two nephews, Klye and Calvin; an uncle, Harding Fears Sr., and a host of other relatives. Arrangements were made by Thompson Funeral Home. Interment was at Detroit Memorial Park-West.

SMITH - Harvey E. Smith Jr. - Services were held at Solomon's Temple for Harvey E. Smith Sr., with Bishop Fred Rubin officiating. Mr. Smith, 77, died Sept. 13. Born May 29, 1920 in Opelika, Ala., Mr. Smith graduated from Parker High School and Miles College in Birmingham, Ala. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1945, then moved to Detroit, where he was employed by Chrysler for 33 years. Mr. Smith is survived by his sons, Elder Harvey E. Smith, Jr. and Sherman Anthony; daughters, Virginia (Jenni), Frankie (Regina) and Shirley; 37 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and many others. Interment was at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Thompson Funeral Home Inc.

WELCH-HENDERSON - Edwina Welch-Henderson - Services for Edwina Welch-Henderson were held Sept. 17 at Chenault Funeral Home with the Rev. Celeste Davis officiating. Mrs. Welch-Henderson, 63, died Sept. 12 at home. Born to Genie and Eula Gardner Oct. 27, 1933, Mrs. Welch-Henderson was the eighth of eleven children. She attended Detroit Public Schools, graduated from Miller High School and attended Wayne State University before becoming a dietary supervisor. She worked at Burton Mercy Hospital, Southwest General Hospital and St. Michael's Nursing Center. Mrs. Welch-Henderson is survived by her husband, James Henderson; son, Mark K. Grafton; daughter, Latonia L. Welch-Minus; brother, Lawrence Gardner and a host of other relatives and friends. Interment was at Detroit Memorial Park-East Warren.

WILLIAMS - Tamara La Sonya Williams - Services for Tamara La Sonya Williams were held Sept. 17 at East Lake Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. Michael G. Cunningham officiating. Ms. Williams, 20, died Sept. 23. Born Sept. 29, 1976 in Chicago, Ms. Williams was educated in the Detroit public school system and graduated from Osborne High School. She was a student at the University of Michigan, anticipating a May, 1998, graduation. Ms. Williams is survived by her mother, Yvonne Williams; father, James Akridge II; stepmother, Kim Akridge; daughter, Kiara LaSonya Williams; grandparents Mr. and Mrs. James Akridge Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Hart; grandmother, Alva Akridge; sisters, Lalonda and Tonika Williams; and many others. Interment was at Gethsemane Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Swanson Funeral Home Inc.