Sammie Vivian (Douglas) Lornes
Jan 14, 1934 - Jun 16, 2010
Submitted by Martha Reddout

Marietta Monitor
25 Jun 2010 Page 4

Her soul took flight, Wednesday, June 16, 2010. Following a well-spent life, she was ready to be offered. The time of her departure was at hand. She fought a good fight. She finished her course. She kept the faith. Therefore, a homegoing celebration was held Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Nazarene Baptist Church in the Dunbar Community.

Her body was laid to rest in Dunbar Cemetery. Pastor Eugene Bellard presented the eulogy, and Pastor Lawrence Anderson officiated.

Sammie, the only daughter, and the oldest of five children born to L.C. and Evelyn Gains Douglass, was born in the Cheek Community, January 14, 1934. The family moved to the Dunbar Community when Sammie was 13 years of age. She graduated from Douglass High School with the class of 1951.  She and Frank Lornes married in Gainesville, Texas, November 15, 1952. This union was blessed with three children, Sandra, Frank L. and Sylvia. Sammie, totally committed to the cause of Christ, was a long-time member of Nazarene Baptist Church. She began teaching a Children’s Sunday School Class when she was 16 years old. She served as Church Clerk, President of the Ushers’ Board, Secretary of the Women’s Mission, a member of the Church Choir, and the Love County Community Choir. Her civic obligations entailed secretary for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organization, instrumental in organizing the Juneteenth Celebration, and involvement with the upkeep of Dunbar cemetery. In addition to 21 years of employment at Marietta’s Cookie Shop, Sammie retired in 1999, following more than 17 years of driving a bus for Big Five Community Services. Although she retired, she remained very active. Every Wednesday, she was a Pink Lady volunteer at Mercy Health Love County Hospital and she substituted at Big Five Headstart when and as needed. She enjoyed the time spent working in her home, her lawn and garden. Her livelihood was helping others.

Those preceding her in death were her parents and three brothers, Robert, Earnest and Donald Douglass.

Sammie is survived by her husband of more than 57 years; a son and daughter-in-law, Frank L. and Naomi Lornes of Marietta; two daughters, Sandra Lornes of Houston and Sylvia Lornes of San Antonio, Texas; two brothers, Lewis Douglass and his wife, Lovetta and Ray Douglass, all of Marietta; 5 grandchildren, Greg Lornes, Shatka Lornes-Payne, Brandon Lornes, Alexander “Trey” Patton, and Michael Patton; 12 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, cousins, and a host of other family and friends.

Kirk Funeral Home