Anita Jean Draper, 90, of Hollywood, MD passed away Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital with her loving family at her side.
She was born on April 24, 1928 in Miami, Florida to the late Elmer Leary and Nina May Gardinier Williams.
Anita earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of Miami. She was a talented musician, playing the marimba and the drums. She played beautiful duets with her sister on the marimba and was featured on a local radio station. She participated in the marching band in high school and college. After graduating from the university she entered Faith Theological Seminary where she met her husband and earned a Master in Religious Education. On November 27, 1954 she married her beloved husband, Perry Lewis Draper at Faith Theological Seminary. Together they celebrated over 39 wonderful years of marriage. In 1956 they moved to Africa and spent the next 12 years as missionaries in Nigeria and Liberia with Sudan Interior Missions. Anita started the ELWA Academy in Liberia being the first teacher and principal. During this time the family travelled to the Canary Islands, France, England, and Switzerland. She taught Liberian women about the bible and how to read. She started and lead Pioneer Girls for the missionary girls at ELWA. She was a skilled seamstress and designed and made many of her own clothes and those of her children, which included a wedding dress and bridesmaid’s dresses. She was also a gifted artist and hand painted hibiscus on her oldest daughter, Carol’s, wedding china. She enjoyed cross stitching, crocheting and knitting. She also enjoyed working on the computer.
In 1970 Anita became a Nursery School teacher at Southwood Baptist Church in New Jersey and later she worked for the NJ Department of Education as a middle school teacher’s aide and later as an elementary school teacher’s aide. She attended Southwood Baptist Church where she started Pioneer Girls, was active in the Sunday school program, the Missions Committee and served as a deaconess. In 2000 she moved to Maryland. She volunteered at Hollywood Elementary School with reading groups and the FLOW Program. She was a member and leader of some MIPI (Moms in Prayer International) groups. She was a Sunday school teacher at Leonardtown Baptist Church and later taught Junior Church at Redeeming Grace Baptist Church.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister. She was devoted to God and her family and enjoyed spending time with them.
She is survived by her children Carol Jane Hill (Rich) of Monroe, NC, Susan Lynne Mease of Elmer, NJ, Ruth Anne Brosnihan (Tim) of Hollywood, MD, Donald Lewis Draper (Ellen) of Preston, CT, and Deborah Jean Courtney of West Deptford, NJ; her sister, Jane Elliott of Decatur, GA, nine grandchildren; two great grandchildren and many extended family and friends. In addition to her parents and husband, she is also preceded in death by her brother, Jesse Ward Williams.
Family will receive friends on Friday, January 11, 2019 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with a Funeral Service celebrated by Pastor Adam Polk at 11:00 a.m. at Leonardtown Baptist Church, 23520 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650. On Saturday, January 12, 2019, family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with a Funeral Service celebrated at 11:00 a.m., at Southwood Baptist Church, 11 Griscom Lane, West Deptford, NJ 08096. Interment will follow at Eglington Cemetery and Memorial Gardens, 320 Kings Highway, Clarksboro, NJ 08020.
Memorial contributions may be made to Redeeming Grace Baptist Church Building Fund, 20945 Great Mills Road #101, Lexington Park, MD 20653 or to ELWA Academy Scholarship or ELWA Academy Science Lab at ELWA Ministries Association USA, PO Box 1, Warrenville, IL 60555 or https://www.elwamausa.org/Get-Involved/Donate
Condolences to the family may be made at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.
