A Time to Remember A Time to Be Born Ecclesiastes 3:1 teaches us, “To everything there is a season for every activity under the heavens.” God saw fit as of December 22, 1954 to bless Henry and Annie Bell Ransaw of Gadsden, Alabama with the gift of Joe Clifford Ransaw. A Time to Serve Joe grew up in a loving and God fearing household where God and education was the centered focus. Joe confessed Christ as his personal Lord and Savior as a young child at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor H.J. Hoyt. Joe began serving Christ by serving in various capacities of ministries in the church such as: Chairman of Deacons, Superintendent of the Sunday School, Sunday School Teacher, Baptist Training Union Teacher (BTU), Layman and many other various ministries and organizations. Joe had the heart of a servant; he continued to serve God by serving in his community by tutoring students twice a week that needed help in the math at the Antioch Family Life Center. Joe is a former president of New South Coalition, Gadsden City School System Board Member (2004-2014) and past president, Joe also served as President of the Globe Committee and various other committees. A Time to Learn & Labor Joe was educated in the Gadsden School System and graduated from Gadsden High School, where he graduated as Salutatorian of his class in 1973. Joe also enjoyed playing football in high school and played for three years in the fullback position. Joe received several football scholarship offers from colleges but turned them down to pursue studying engineering at the University of Alabama on an academic scholarship. Joe and five other young, courageous and enthusiastic men founded the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Beta Lamda Kappa Chapter on the campus of the University of Alabama. Joe graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering in 1977. Joe was employed at Bellsouth and later Eastman for over 34 ½ years. A Time to Love Joe had experienced the agape love of God, phileo love of mankind and then God blessed Joe to experience romantic love when he met Janice Gray and became his high school sweetheart; the two united in holy matrimony December 22, 1975. The love they shared for forty years was centered around God, love, family and precious memories. A Time to Transition 1 Corinthians 15:53 New Living Translation declares, “For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.” Joe’s body transitioned but yet his spirit lives. Joe was called from labor to reward January 20, 2016 at University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama. A Time to Remember Joe leaves to cherish and honor his memories: a loyal, faithful and loving wife: Janice Ransaw, three children: Dante Ransaw of Bessemer, Alabama, Amy Ransaw of Huntsville, Alabama and Justin Ransaw of Harvest, Alabama and a future daughter-in-law Teshajla Stallworth; nine grandchildren that Joe loved with every breath he took – Dantea Ransaw, Danissia Ransaw, Brashuna Ransaw, Alex Ransaw, Andru Ransaw, Cashmere Pinson, Gavin Ransaw, Caleb Ransaw, and Garcell Ransaw; a brother, Ruben Clinton Ransaw, Jr. (Nettie) of Fort Laurderdale, Florida; two devoted sisters, Mary Riley (Eugene) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Margaret Wright of Gadsden, Alabama; and a cousin raised as a sister, Verlinda Hood (Arthur); mother-in-law Jessie E. Simpson (Willie) of Gadsden, Alabama; father-in-law, Jessie Lee Gray of Gadsden, Alabama; brother-in-laws, Chester Gray (Bessie) of Plano, TX; and Donnie Whitney of Gadsden, Alabama; sister-in-laws, Annie Pirece of Gadsden, Alabama; Louise Ransaw of Luling, LA; Geneva Whitney of Gadsden, Alabama; Sarah Heath (Lee) of Weaver, Alabama; Kimberly Ransaw of Gadsden, Alabama; Regina Adams of Decatur, Alabama; and a special niece Windfred Gordon of Gadsden, Alabama. Joe leaves behind a loving host of family and friends. A Time of Hope Joe’s hope was in God and His Word. Therefore, we too hold fast to God’s Word as recorded in Revelation 14:13, “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."