Obituary of Sophronia E Pitts

Obituary

Evangelist Sophronia Pitts of Vineland, NJ, formerly of Quinton, NJ., made her peaceful transition on Monday, August 13, 2018 at age 97. She was born on   August 10, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pa., to the late Thomas and Cordella Cheek Woodson, and the eldest of three siblings. Sophronia’s father was a traveling minister, and so the family moved about often residing in places such as     Lackawanna and Brooklyn, New York, Cumberland, Va., Bridgeton and Salem, NJ, but Cumberland, Va., was considered home. She relayed many stories of her family walking for miles to attend church services and go to school. She looked forward to her many travels to Cumberland.

Sophronia’s sister-in-law, the late Marian Pitts Conaway introduced her to her husband-to-be, Chouncey C. Pitts. They were united in marriage on May 8, 1940, and were blessed with seven children: Ruby, Christine, Carl, Chouncey, Bernard, Richard, and Marvin respectively.

Sophronia accepted Christ at an early age, and she loved the Lord with all her heart. Anyone that spent any time in her presence would find themselves talking about the Word of God, and how the Lord had blessed her. Even in her dementia, she still called on the Lord. Sophronia joined Ephesus Pentecostal Church, now known as Tabernacle of Praise, under the leadership of Elder Richard Myers. She was licensed as an Evangelist by Mt. Sinai Holy Church of America, Inc. Sophronia served on the choir, Missionary Board, Usher Board, and Deaconess. Later on in life she moved her membership to St. John’s, Salem, NJ., under the pastorage of Elder Clayton Robinson. When her health began to fail, she relocated to Vineland, NJ., to live with her son Carl and his wife Betty where she joined the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, Pittsgrove, NJ., on April 19, 2015 under the leadership of Rev. Jocephus Guinn, Jr. There she served on the     Mothers Board. Sophronia enjoyed ministering to the sick and shut in at the local hospitals and nursing facilities.

She was formerly employed by Herman Archer Clothing Factory, Salem, NJ., M.C. Schranks, Bridgeton, NJ., Seabrook Farms Food Processing Factory,  Seabrook, NJ., and Ritters, Bridgeton, NJ., prior to her retirement.

Sophronia loved to cook, bake, savour a good cup of hot tea, eat out, listen to gospel music, talk on the telephone, and read her Bible. She especially enjoyed her extended visits to California to spend time with her daughter Ruby and    family. Sophronia loved hosting Christmas dinner, and backyard summer cook outs for the family, traveling to Cumberland, Va., for Homecoming Service held annually on the second weekend in August. She looked forward to participating in church conventions and convocations along with her sister, Dot. She also    enjoyed spending quality time with her baby sister, Trudell. Her nieces nicknamed the trio as the “Golden Girls.”

Sophronia is survived by her son, Carl (Betty), Richard (Gert) both of Vineland, NJ., and daughter Ruby (Stanley) of Hayward, California, and a host of family and friends. She was predeceased by her husband, Chouncey C. Pitts, three sons, Chouncey, Bernard, amd Marvin, and one daughter, Christine, as well as two sisters, Dorothy Tripp and Trudell Thomas.