GeorgieAnn Finch
GeorgieAnn Silvels-Finch, 72, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, Aug. 1, 2014. She passed away at her residence surrounded by love with her daughter Tabitha. She was born Nov. 28, 1941 in Chattanooga. GeorgieAnn accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. During her formative years, she sat at the feet of wisdom of her grandmother, Agnes Rucker-Fortson, a Pentecostal preacher. She began her faith walk in the Pentecostal faith, then became a member of Hamlett Chapel CME Church, and later joined her husband as a member of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church where she attended until her passing. She was employed at Cavalier Corporation as a Quality Control Technician where she served as Union Leader and Job Steward. At Cavalier, she served as labor union organizer for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 515. She was a member of the Howard High School class of 1960 and participated Civil Rights protests and sit-ins. GeorgieAnn was very active in the community and enjoyed encouraging others and fighting for justice. She served as chairman of the Labor Committee of the National Association of Colored People (NAACP) Chattanooga branch; president of the labor union, A. Phillip Randolph Association Chattanooga branch; Eastdale Community Precinct Chairman; Hamilton County Democratic Black Caucus member; and member of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. She participated in numerous voter registration drives and political campaigns as campaign manager, organizer and committee member. Those who preceded her in death include her grandmother, Agnes Rucker-Fortson; father, Herbert Silvels; mother, Elizabeth Silvels; nephew, James "Lebron" Silvels; sister, Shirley Silvels; and life-long friend and ex-husband Neal Finch, all of Chattanooga. Survivors include her four daughters, Priscilla Ann Finch (Joe) Pryor; Valerie MiNeal Finch (Allen) Mack, both of Kennesaw, Ga.; Tonda Marie Finch (Danny) Hambrick and Tabitha Elizabeth Finch, both of Chattanooga; five grandchildren; one brother, H. Jerome Rahman (Sherrilynn) Saleem; sisters, Katherine Watson, Carolyn Silvels, Jacqueline (Herschel) Strickland, Agnes "Bopeep" Langston, Evelyn (Jarvis) Porter, Sandra (Kenneth) Johnson; aunt, Annie Ruth Calhoun, all of Chattanooga; dear friends, Faith McDaniel, Rosetta Harden and Priscilla Hale; a host of nieces, nephews, dear friends and relatives. Funeral services will be at noon today, Aug. 9, 2014 at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church with Pastor Lydell Lovelace officiating. Interment will be at Hamilton Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by John P. Franklin Funeral Home, 1101 Dodds Ave., 622-9995.
Published August 9, 2014