Agnes Washington James

AGNES WASHINGTON JAMES, WIFE OF THE LATE GEORGE H. JAMES TRANSITIONED PEACEFULLY AT HER RESIDENCE ON TUESDAY MORNING, May 20, 2025, IN COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA. SHE WAS THE CHERISHED AND YOUNGEST OF TWO DAUGHTER OF THE LATE WILLIE “MOSSA” AND LILA LOGAN WASHINGTON. SHE WAS BORN ON JULY 7, 1923 IN CLARENDON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA. SOON AFTER HER BIRTH, HER MOTHER LILA PASSED AWAY. AGNES AND HER SISTER CARRIE LEE WITHERSPOON WERE RAISED BY THEIR UNCLE AND AUNT PURDY AND EUNICE WASHINGTON IN SILVER, SC. SHE RECEIVED HER EARLY AND FORMAL EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF CLARENDON COUNTY. AT AN EARLY AGE SHE ACCEPTED CHRIST AND JOINED FRIENDSHIP AME CHURCH AND WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CHOIR AND MISSIONARY MINISTRY. AFTER REACHING ADULTHOOD SHE MARRIED EDWARD FELDER ALSO OF CLARENDON COUNTY AND MOVED TO WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA WHERE SHE AND HER SISTER WERE EMPLOYED IN HOSPITALITY SERVICE WORKING AT THE CAPE FEAR HOTEL. HER HUSBAND AND BROTHER-IN-LAW JOHN WITHERSPOON WORKED IN THE WILMINGTON NC SHIPYARD. IN THE 1940’S AGNES AND HER HUSBAND EDWARD MOVED TO HARLEM, NEW YORK DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION. IN HARLEM SHE GAVE BIRTH TO PEDRO, MARTHA AND DONALD AS THE ELDER SON, EDWARD JR. WAS BORN IN CLARENDON COUNTY. AGNES EVENTUALLY DIVORCED AND MOVED TO BROOKLYN, NY WHERE SHE MARRIED GEORGE H. JAMES ALSO FROM CLARENDON COUNTY AND GAVE BIRTH TO JEFFREY JAMES. IN BROOKLYN SHE BECAME A FAITHFUL MEMBER OF FIRST AME ZION CHURCH WHERE SHE SERVED FAITHFULLY AS A MEMBER OF THE CHOIR AND MISSIONARY MINISTRY. AFTER RETIRING FROM WORK IN BROOKLYN SHE RETURNED HOME TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND REJOINED FRIENDSHIP AME, HER CHILDHOOD CHURCH WHERE SHE SERVED AS MISSIONARY. AGNES WAS BORN TO BE A MOTHER. AFTER THE DEATH OF HER ONLY DAUGHTER, MARTHA SHE RAISED HER TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS MONIQUE AND NDZINGA (TT). SHE MOVED THEM FROM BROOKLY, NY TO COLUMBIA .SC TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. AGNES ALSO CARED FOR AND HELPED RAISE GRANDDAUGHTERS, STEPHANIE FELDER OF BROOKLYN NY AND SHELLY GREEN OF CHARLOTTE, NC. THROUGHOUT THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES SHE OPENED HER HOME TO NIECES AND NEPHEWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL AS A HOST OFFAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO CAME TO NEW YORK FOR WORK OR VISIT. SHE WAS ALSO MOTHER TO NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTHS WHO WERE FRIENDS OF HER OWN CHILDREN OFTEN FEEDING AND HOUSING THEM AND HELPING IMPROVE THEIR LIVES. UNTIL HER PASSING SHE CONTINUED TO OPEN HER HOME WITH LOVE TO OTHERS. AGNES LIVED A LIFE OF CARING FOR OTHERS BE IT GIVING FOOD AND SHELTER OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DURING HER LIFE HERE ON EARTH. SHE WAS RAISED BY PEOPLE WHO CARED AND HELPED EACH OTHER AND IT WAS A TRADITION PASSED ON TO HER AND SHE PASSED IT ON TO HER CHILDREN. IN ADDITION TO HER PARENTS AND HUSBANDS, GEORGE AND EDWARD SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER CHILDREN, SONS EDWARD, JEFFREY, PEDRO AND DAUGHTER MARTHA. IN ADDITION TO HER CHILDREN SHE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY, SISTER CARRIE, HER GRANDDAUGHTER MONIQUE AND GREAT GRANDSON SHELDON DEVON LIVINGSTON. SHE LEAVES TO CHERISH PRECIOUS MEMORIES, HER SON DONALD FELDER (DENISE) AND GRANDCHILDREN,SHELLY GREEN, JAMAL JAMES, SADE JAMES-BETHEA, NDZINGA HILLS, KRISTINA FELDER CLAUDE (ENOCH) , D.KORBIN FELDER AND GREAT, GREAT GRANDS.

Agnes Washington James

July 7, 1923 - May 20, 2025