Mother Viola Rebecca Waid

Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face, There to sing forever of His saving grace; On the streets of Glory let me lift my voice; Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice. . . .” R.H. Cornelius On Monday afternoon, January 6, 2025, at 3:26 p.m., God in His infinite wisdom saw fit to summons home Mother Viola Rebecca Waid. As He summons, she stepped out of the realms of this earthly tabernacle into eternity to be at home forever with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. “Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice”!!!!!!! On Thursday, August 20, 1931, in Mount Union, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, the Lord blessed the late Thomas and Mary Chatman Alexander with a beautiful baby daughter. This child was graced with the name, Viola Rebecca Alexander. She grew up in Mount Union where she was educated in the public school system graduating from Captain Jack Joint High School in 1951 and from Huntingdon Business School in 1953. She attended Tabernacle Church of God in Christ with her family and was saved in her teenage years. She learned to appreciate the value of work at an early age while doing domestic work for a family in Mount Union. A few years after graduating from high school, she moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Upon coming to Harrisburg, she became a faithful member of Mt. Zion Church of God in Christ and later Lingo Memorial Church of God in Christ. After several years, she met Joseph Waid at church and they were married on Sunday, June 30, 1957, in Mount Union, PA. God blessed this union with one child, Constance Ann Waid. In Harrisburg, she was employed by the Naval Support Activity Base in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania where she retired from after 30 years of service. She was then employed by Harris Savings Bank for several years. After retirement, she loved to shop and go out to lunch with her girlfriends (church mothers). One afternoon after lunch, just for fun they went to Muscalus Furs to try on fur coats; hence, a love for fur coats became evident. In her younger days, Viola liked to roller skate with her friends and sisters. She also enjoyed bowling. These activities later became her fundraising projects for the church. She joined Shiloh Church of God in Christ in 1970 where she served for more than 53 years. She was active and faithful in her local church, in the Harrisburg District as well as in the Commonwealth Jurisdiction Churches of God in Christ. At Shiloh, she has served on the Usher Board as an usher and as vice president, she sang in the Sanctuary Choir, was Prayer Group Mother for the Women of Faith Prayer Group and a member of the Hospitality Ministry where she later served as Emeritus Hospitality Advisor. She is currently a member of S.C.O.P.E. Prayer Group 2, the Pastor’s Aide and Mothers’ Board where she was appointed Church Mother in 1995 under the leadership of the late Pastor Carl E. Hines, Jr. She gracefully held the position of Church Mother, loving on and nurturing the members, until she resigned due to health reasons in 2009. She was a member of the Harrisburg District COGIC Ways and Means Committee. Mother Waid served faithfully in the Harrisburg District Hospitality Ministry under the late Mother Ezell Ellison and as spiritual advisor under Sis. Sharlene Washington. She was also a long-time member of the Jurisdictional Hospitality Ministry under the late Mother Nancy Morton. Mother Waid has always been hospitable. In fact, she was the very epitome of hospitality. One of the ways she expressed her love for people was through the food she would prepare and share, by cooking, baking, canning, and freezing. She was always ready to assist and be a blessing to visitors, new members, and all those who were a part of Shiloh and the body of Christ. Once she and her husband were married and established in Harrisburg, she opened up her home to several nephews and nieces for them to establish their working careers. She loved to entertain family and friends. On numerous occasions, she hosted the “Shiloh Couples” Dinner in her home and planned dinners for them at restaurants. Over the years, she has shown great hospitality to several speakers and preachers who ministered at Shiloh. She was always giving compliments and words of encouragement. She was the Harrisburg Cougars Marching Band Booster President while Constance was in school and always had an encouraging word for each band director. She supported the band with fundraising and traveling to away football games and to band camp. During the governor’s inauguration parade, in January, she allowed band members who were lined up on North 16th Street to come into her house to get warm. Before the next inauguration parade, she organized her neighbors to open up their homes to allow the students of the high school bands to come into their homes to stay warm and dry. She served them hot chocolate as well. She would put a pot of coffee with cups, sugar and cream on her porch for the workers working outside on their home or for anyone working in the winter in their neighborhood. Mother Waid was honored on April 26, 2015, by the Shiloh’s Hospitality Ministry during their Annual Day for her many years of work in Hospitality and for being an inspiration to the entire Hospitality Ministry. Her persistence and consistency to walk in faith, serving God encouraged the committee that no matter what they are going through, they can make it. She exemplified the portion of scripture found in Acts 17:28 -- “For in Him we live and move and have our being. . . .” Her passage on this earth was outstandingly marked by love, dignity, humbleness, courage, commitment to humanity, and dedication to God as she rejoiced in the God of her salvation. She was blessed to be born into a large, loving family of ten sisters: Ella Black of Miami, Florida; Marion Boyer of Virginia; Christine Jenkins of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Kathleen Matthew-Purvis (Noah) of Palm Coast, Florida; and the late Mary Alexander, Anna Mae Mitchell Harris; Eleanor Miller; Thomasina Lonor; Joyce Johnson and Winnie Williams; and four brothers: Richard of Surprise, Arizona and the late Caesar, Eugene, and Robert Alexander. Amongst the many who will miss her and cherish precious memories of her are her daughter and son-in-law, Constance and Najee; her grandchildren, Jael and Leah; her siblings and brother-in-law, a host of nieces, nephews, great, great-great, and great, great- great nieces and nephews, cousins, devoted friends; her godchildren, and the Household of Faith. Lovingly Submitted by the Family FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLICK ON THE SHARE A MEMORY TAB TO POST VIDEOS, SHARE MEMORIES, CONDOLENCES, REFLECTIONS OR SIMPLY LEAVE YOUR NAME.

Tributes

Mother Viola Rebecca Waid

August 20, 1931 - January 6, 2025