Great joy befell Lizzie and J. Spencer Jamieson on July 27, 1927 when their daughter Mabel Priscilla was born into their household in Buffalo Junction, Virginia; Mabel joined her sister Cora in the family, who, like the parents, have all pre-deceased her. Mabel enjoyed an idyllic childhood in her rural environment, surrounded by a close knit family; all her paternal aunts, uncles and cousins lived within walking distance of each other. It was in this community that Mabel thrived academically and spiritually. She and her family were active members of Wharton Memorial Baptist Church which was founded by her grandfather Oliver Jamieson and others. At age six, Mabel accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized by her cousin, Rev. Dr. George Yancey. She remained a faithful Christian for the rest of her days. Mabel was gifted with a brilliant mind and soared educationally. She skipped two grades in elementary school and was graduated from high school at age 16 as the class valedictorian. She was awarded a full scholarship to Virginia State College where she obtained a bachelor's degree in English at the age of 20 and was designated "Class Poet" for her literary skills which included writing the official class poem. Following graduation, Mabel relocated to New York and lived with her maternal aunt and uncle. She met, and eventually married Quincy J. Brooks, Jr. in 1948; to this blessed union, three children, Sandra, Gail and Quincy, were born. Mabel and Quincy settled down in Queens where they established a loving home for their family. After being a stay-at-home mom for a few years, Mabel became a social worker for the NYC Department of Social Services. She achieved a supervisory role upon her completion of post-graduate studies at the New School in NYC, and retired in 1986. Mabel and Quincy became active members of Shiloh Baptist Church of Jamaica; with others, they founded the Young Christian Adults, later renamed Christian Adults, a ministry in which Mabel served as the president for decades. She and Quincy served in many leadership roles of the church and were ordained and consecrated into the Deacon/Deaconess ministry in 1962; they worked tirelessly in the church together until his death in 1972. In 1980, Mabel married Herman Whitaker, who had likewise been widowed, and gained two additional daughters, Joyce and Margo; theirs was a devoted and enduring marriage, earmarked by their love of God, their blended family and each other. They took particular joy in seeing their family expand with the addition of grand-children and great-grandchildren, and enjoyed many family activities together. Herman worked alongside Mabel as an active member of Shiloh Baptist Church and eventually became ordained as a Deacon, an office he held until his death in 2008. During her almost seven decades of membership at Shiloh, Mabel remained faithful and active: in addition to the Christian Adults, she served as the church clerk, and was a longstanding member of the Missionaries. She co-chaired the church's 125th anniversary, wrote the script for the Tom Thumb wedding held at the church, participated in fundraisers, and supported every ministry with their events. She became ordained as a Deacon, and was elevated as a Deacon Emerita in 2014. She was honored numerous times at the church, including becoming the surprise honoree at a "This is Your Life" celebration in 1992 that included an appearance from her college roommate. She believed in tithing and was a lifelong financial supporter of the church and charitable causes. She was a devoted Christian who started and ended each day with prayer; when she was physically able, she would be on her knees for as long as it took to go through her entire prayer list, and she read her Bible daily. Mabel also loved her family tremendously and was proud of the accomplishments of every member. She never missed a birthday or graduation or any special occasion, even when her health started declining. She enjoyed returning to her hometown in Buffalo Junction, Virginia every summer and had not missed a Homecoming/Family Reunion celebration in 35 consecutive years. She enjoyed visiting the Caribbean and Puerto Rico and cherished trips and excursions with her family. From Disney World to Myrtle Beach, from the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee to the coal mines of West Virginia, just to name a few, she clocked in many miles, waited tirelessly on lines in 90+ degrees temperature, for an opportunity to go white water rafting, jet skiing, or go-carting with her grandchildren. Her bucket list to visit Hawaii was fulfilled when her family gave her a surprise Hawaiian luau on her 86th birthday, complete with dancers and a fire show. When she wrote her family history in 1994, Mabel noted that some of the family traits included generosity, friendliness, and an unfailing belief in God; certainly, she embodied these qualities. She enjoyed making her loved ones happy, whether cooking their favorite dish or buying gifts for no occasion, and would always have a sage word of advice along with an appropriate scripture verse. Mabel peacefully passed into eternity on November 23 at her home surrounded by her loving family. Our angel will be missed. She leaves to cherish her memory her children Sandra and Glenn McGhee, Gail and Roger Rice, Quincy and Gail Brooks, Joyce and Keno Johnson and Margo Clarke; grandchildren Spencer and Helen Rodriguez, Luis Rodriguez, Alexander Rodriguez, Jared and Jasmine Rice, Jordan and Jessica Rice, Talia Brooks, Jasmine Rodriguez, Darren Brooks, Nigel Clarke, Marcus Johnson, Matthew and Lakisha Johnson, Marissa Clarke and Taryn and Killraine Dean; great- grandchildren Jason and Joshua Rodriguez, Jocelyn, Jayden and Jameson Rice, and Micah, Evan and Layla Johnson; siblings-in-love Georgia Brooks and Arnold and Esther Brooks; several nieces, nephews and godchildren; numerous cousins including first cousins Julia Felder, Ophelia Butler and George Sizemore; the entire Whitaker family whom she loved as her own; those whom she cherished as family, including Judy and James Warner, Rosetta Miller and Martha Middleton; her caretaker for many years, Jasmine Smith; and a host of other relatives, friends and neighbors. She was predeceased in death by her granddaughter Danielle Rice, and adopted daughter Doris Crawford.