Gerra (Jerri) Hector Lewis

Funeral Services for Gerra Dean Hector (Jerri) will be Saturday, February 4, 2017, 11:00 AM, East Mount Olive Baptist Church, 1197 Corley St, Beaumont, TX. Rev. Lewis Hawthorne, Pastor, officiating. Rev Carl Lewis will be the eulogist.

Visitation will be observed Saturday, February 4, 2017 from 8:00 AM until the commencement of the funeral service at East Mount Olive Baptist Church.

She will be interred in Live Oak Memorial Park.

Gerra Dean Hector (Jerri), daughter of the late Alvin John Hector and Hilda McCloney, was born September 19, 1946, in Beaumont, Texas. She attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic School and Hebert High School. At an early age, she professed her faith in Jesus Christ, and joined the East Mount Olive Baptist Church at 660 Wall Street, where she was baptized by the late Pastor M.D. Pinkney.

She was united in Matrimony to Morris Allen, Sr. To this union, one son was born. She later moved to San Francisco, CA. She worked in both the food and the banking industries. She became a member of the El Bethel Baptist Church under the leadership of the late D. Manning Jackson. She later joined the Usher Board, Junior Mission, Matrons, and the Inspirational Choir under the leadership of the late Pastor J.R. Richardson. The late J.R. Richardson envisioned a musical ministry, and from that vision was birthed the J.R. Specials. Jerri was the soprano songstress of the five member group that toured the states and became a local gospel phenomenon.

In 1989, Jerri returned to her native Beaumont, where she reunited with the historic East Mount Olive Baptist Church. She became a dedicated member, where she would jokingly say she was president of everything. She was president of the choir, Mission, announcement clerk, trustee, board, Food Bank coordinator, and pastoral care. She was a long time employee of Lowe's until she retired. During this time, she met, fell in love with, and married Paul Lee Lewis (Java).

Anybody who knew Jerri, knew she was a true social butterfly, and people gravitated to her happy spirit. She was a founding member of the Brown Sugar Social Club of San Francisco. Java is known as the chef in the household, but Jerri was an outstanding cook. In her own right. She was very creative in the kitchen and catered parties.

She was preceded in death by her parents, great-grandmother, Daisy McCline; grandmother, Cherry H. Edwards; brother, Arthur Stewart; daughter-in-law, Natalie Bursey; and cousin, LaVern Griffin, Jr.

Jerri leaves her legacy of love to: her loving husband, Paul Lee (Java) Lewis; Morris Allen, Jr., Ray Bursey, Charles Bursey, Raymond Williams (Nikita), Kelly, Latoya (Keith), Morris (Jennifer), Elizabeth, Joshua, Kelly Sr., Janece, Megan, Josiah; one sister, Irma Burrell, sisters-in-law, Rose (Charles) Citizen, Ethel Lewis, Veronica Lewis, Rebecca (Chris) Williams, and Tina Lewis; brothers-in-law, Curtis Lewis, Michael (Ethel) Lewis, Anthony (Myra) Lewis, and Al (Angie) Lewis; one great-grandson, Kelly III; her beloved aunts, Billie Jo and Jessie Lee; niece, Cherry McGee; her cherished goddaughter, Deana Caranto (Jason); and family friend, Roxie Richardson.

MK DIXON Funeral Home, is in charge of final arrangements, 337-940-9253, 211 Main Street, Baldwin, LA 70514.