Louise Bailey Webb

Louise Bailey Webb, the second of nine children, was born on August 12, 1921, to Paul and Lillie Solomon Bailey in Cuthbert, Georgia. She passed away peacefully, just two weeks before her 99th birthday, on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at her residence in Albany. Louise was academically gifted and graduated from high school at age l5 as the salutatorian of her class. She furthered her education at Forsyth State Teachers and Agriculture College (which later merged with Ft. Valley Normal and Industrial School, subsequently becoming Ft. Valley State College). She continued her studies with weekend classes while teaching for two years and before uniting in marriage to Richard Edward Webb. While their family was still young, they relocated from Cuthbert to Albany where there were better job and educational opportunities. They were blessed with ten children, and Louise devoted her life to raising their family. She was a nurturing mother with strict rules and disciplinary standards. She valued excellence and hard work, and her children were outstanding students. They always said she was their first and best teacher. Louise was a member of Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church where she was a highly-respected Christian who faithfully served the Lord. Her most treasured calling was that of a prayer warrior. Pastor Theodus Drake tapped her as a prayer warrior when he organized the ministry in the early 2000s, and she faithfully fulfilled that role for approximately 16 years. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the convening of virtual meetings, she was able to join the prayer warriors via teleconferencing. This was a highlight of the last few months of her life. Louise was employed as an instructor in a literacy program under Dr. Eugene Sherman at Cutliff Grove Baptist Church's outreach ministry and a reading instructor with the Dougherty County School System. She later worked at the school system's Suspension Center under Dr. Walter Judge. She retired from the school system in 1988. Louise was the recipient of several awards and recognitions over the years, including being honored as Mother of the Year both by the Albany Urban League in the 1970s and Institutional First Baptist Church in the 1980s ,and receiving a Community Role Model Award from the Albany (GA) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in 2001. A joy of Louise's life was spending time with her grand and great-grandchildren. They affectionately called her "Grandma Weezy," a name styled after Louise "Weezy" Jefferson of the TV sitcom, The Jeffersons. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sons, Charles Edward Webb and Cedric Eugene Webb; five brothers and three sisters. Louise leaves many loving survivors who will forever cherish her memory: three sons - Dr. Melvin R. Webb (Brenda), Atlanta; William A. Webb (Sandra), Albany; and Michael J. Webb (Jennifer), Albany; five daughters - Frances Webb Davis (Donell), Albany; Gloria Webb Parkman (William), College Park, GA; Sandra J. Webb, Albany; Carolyn Webb Reid (Prince), Albany; and Paulette Louise Webb, Albany; sister, Mary D. Golden, Southfield, MI; two sisters-in-law, Leeoma Bailey, Cuthbert, and Maxine Bailey, Snellville, GA; 14 grandchildren. 13 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and caring friends Family visitation will be on Tuesday, August 4, from 6-7 p.m. at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church at 1010 Old Pretoria Road. COVID-19 guidelines must be followed. Private homegoing service for Mrs. Webb will be conducted on Wednesday, August 5, at 11 a.m. The service will be live-streamed on the following websites:  Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1010 Old Pretoria Road, Albany, GA, website and Facebook  Perkins Funeral Home, 153 Villa Nova St., Cuthbert, GA, Facebook In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the scholarship fund at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church.