Obituary: Alberta Edme Washington

Alberta Edme Washington was born on February 28, 1923 at Nyack Hospital to the late William Henry Oliver and Dorothea Lorena Jackson Oliver.

She attended Nyack Public Schools and later received her General Equivalency Diploma in 1953.  On December 25, 1943 in the parsonage of St. Phillips, she was united in holy matrimony to the Rev. Dr. William Benjamin Washington from Stoneham, Texas. They both resided in Central Nyack since 1955.

She worked for over 20 years with Orange and Rockland Utilities as a receptionist in the Spring Valley and Blue Hill Plaza, Pearl River, offices. After her retirement she was employed in retailing with Macy’s and Boscov’s.

She was an active member of the Baptist Ministers Wives and Widows of Greater New York and Vicinity, former Vice-President of Tri County Ministers Wives and Widows and former President of Tri-County Ministers Wives and Widows, a Life Member of the International Association of Ministers Wives and Widows and a Member of Northeast Regional Conference of Ministers Wives and Widows. She was also former President of the Central Nyack Senior Citizen’s Association and a lifelong member of the Central Nyack Civic Association where she served on the Social Committee.

Sister Washington received many accolades and awards including one from the Tri-County Minister Wives and Widows for 50 years of faithful service to the organization under the leadership of President Vivian Love Jones. In 1997, also received an award for perseverance and dedicated service from her church, St. Phillip's AME Zion where she was a member of the Deaconess Board, the Missionary Board and a lay council member.                      

Alberta was the pulse of her family with her strength, her faith and her love for life. She touched all who knew her by her immense kindness and gentle ways and this extended to her love for animals as well. She had boundless energy as she walked 3 ½ miles around Rockland Lake at 6 a.m. on a daily basis with her friend, Rosalie Booker.

Those left to fondly cherish her memory are her daughter, Shirley Alberta, nieces and nephews, godchildren and many relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, her mother and father and 3 brothers, Maurice (Sonny), James, and Nelson.

Visiting will be held on Monday from 6 to 9 PM at St. Philip’s AME Zion Church in Nyack.  A Homegoing Service will take place on Tuesday at 12 noon at the church with interment to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Nyack.