Lula Dell Seawood-Newburn

My life’s journey began on the 30th day of March, 1922, in the Griffithtown Community, when I was born to Aussie and Selma Marie Jones Seawood. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior at a tender age and began to walk with the Lord. As a child and young lady, I was a member of New Bethel Baptist Church where my father served as a deacon. I graduated from Peake High School and back then, we completed high school in the 8th grade. I married the handsome Elmer Franklin Newborn, and the Lord blessed our union with three children, Elmer Lawrence, Connie Yvonne and Linda Evonne. It was during this time that I joined Mt. Morriah Baptist Church where I sang in the choir and worked with the youth department. I later united with Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church family under the pastorate of Rev. H. B. Montgomery, Jr. It was there too, I exhibited my spiritual gift of prayer and singing in the choir. I always enjoyed curling and styling hair, so I decided to enroll at the Texarkana Beauty School. With my cosmetology license in hand, I was blessed to open the Newburn Beauty Shop. Some of the ladies who worked with me were Elnora Knox Stephens, and Mamie Whitmore. Amboline House and I co-owned the House of Flowers Floral Shop. I worked at the Arkadelphia Human Development Center for years. After I retired, I found joy and excitement working with the grandparent program. I loved those children. Cooking and being with my family was always a great source of joy. I loved to sing and praise the Lord. I participated in all the church choirs, and district choirs. Jodie Mitchell and I even had our gospel group named the Pearls. After becoming ill and having to move with my daughter in Little Rock, I became a watch care member at Second Baptist Church under the pastorate of Rev. Kevin A. Kelly. After 85 seasons of walking with the Lord, I surrendered my soul to our Heavenly Father on February 15, 2008. He picked me up and carried me the last mile of the way. Waiting to welcome me to my eternal home were my parents, whom we called Momma and Poppa, my husband, Elmer, three brothers, infant Jacob and Jacob whom we called “Two” , Jather, and two of my sisters, Allie B. and Dorothy as well as my little granddaughter. I’m now not your past, but your future. I’ll be there to welcome home my children, Elmer L. and Sherry Newborn of Pine Bluff, Connie Kidd, Linda and Eddie Todd of Little Rock; my brother in Copperas Cove, Texas, Ocie T. Seawood; my two sisters, Mary J. Newburn in Arkadelphia and Odessa Patterson in Chicago, Illinois; my grandchildren, Alexander DeWayne Newburn, Jacque Ware, LaToya Newborn, Pamela Kidd, Briana Newborn, Jacque Todd and Courtney Thurman, my great grandchildren, Andre’ Ware, Ladainain Ware, Alex Houston and Jeremiah Houston and all my nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Mrs. Newburn will lie in state at Williams Funeral Home on Thursday, February 21, 2008 from 12 noon until 4:00 p.m. The Newburn & Seawood families will greet friends and share with them the Images of Life DVD from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, 16th & Caddo Streets, Arkadelphia. The family will share last tributes to the life of Lula Dell Newburn on Friday, February 22, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary of Greater Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church where Dr. Lewis A. Shepherd, Jr., is pastor and will officiate. Rev. Kevin A. Kelly, pastor of Second Baptist Church in Little Rock will preach the celebration message. Music will be provided by the Greater Pleasant Hill Male Chorus. The Committal Service & Final Resting Place will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in the Joan Community. Active bearers of the casket will be Richelle Harris, Tiffany Hughes, Kerry Newburn, Marcus Newburn, Orlando Newburn and William C. Todd. Honorary bearers of the casket will be the Deacons of Greater Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and the Deacons of Second Baptist Church.