- Date Of Birth: December 21, 1941
- Date Of Death: March 6, 2020
- State: Maryland
Florence Clementine Nokes (Tina), Beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend departed this life on Friday, March 6, 2020. She was born December 21, 1941 in Raleigh, NC to the late John Henry and Mary (Jenkins) Woods.
Tina, as she was affectionately called was the sixteenth of eighteen children. She and her family moved to Washington, DC in or around 1944. At an early age, Tina experienced the grace and mercies of God. She gave her life to Jesus Christ and was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. She served as a faithful and dedicated worker at Scripture Church of Christ in Washington, DC, Scripture Church of Christ in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia and the Fisherman of Men Church. In 1985, she moved her membership to Antioch Spiritual Center where she continued her growth and relationship with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to support her brother, Bishop Royce Woods in his ministry. In 1995, Tina and the Antioch church family joined Holy Trinity Worship Center International as one family. Tina continued her steadfast walk with Christ, where she served on the Missionary Board and sang in the choir. She received her Associates Degree in Biblical Studies at Holy Trinity’s Bible College.
She attended Nannie Helen Burroughs School, which was the first school in the nation to provide vocational training for African American women, who did not otherwise have many educational opportunities available to them. This is where she started to develop her love of sewing along with learning from her older sister Nellie. She also attended Kelly Miller Middle School and Spingarn High School.
Tina met and married Robert (Bobby) Lee Nokes and they raised their five children, Lawrence, Ronald (Dump), Mary, April and Marcia.
She worked many years at Malcolm Grow Medical Center on Andrews Air Force Base as a Medical Food Specialist Dietician. Tina enjoyed working and serving others and believed it was her reasonable service to help others.
Those who knew Tina, knew that she had a love for singing for the Lord and sewing. Singing was her joy! She sang in the church choirs, at special occasions, and for many birthday celebrations. She could always come up with a song or makeup one for any situation that anyone was experiencing. She sang tunes around the house. Even as her battle was coming to an end, she could be heard in the halls of the hospital singing, drawing the nurses nearby just to hear her melodious voice.
Additionally, Tina could make any outfit you described or could imagine and could alter, mend, take in or let out any piece of clothing you brought her. She could make anything from a simple dress to an elaborate wedding gown. She passed her love of sewing on to two of her own daughters and son, Dump, just as she learned from her sister.
Tina leaves to mourn her legacy, four children: Lawrence P. Nokes of Trenton, NJ (Rojulene); Mary F. Nokes-Moore of Landover, MD (Michael); April (Nokes) Weems of Fayetteville, NC (Ricardo, Sr.); and Marcia (Nokes) Hunter of Capital Heights, MD (Devin, Sr.). Eleven grandchildren: Jonathan (Jemeg); Bryon; Ricardo Jr. (Christina); Jordana; David; Sasha; Robert; Cierra (Tristan); Ronald Jr; Marcus (Herocia); and Deon. Two great-grandsons: Jaylen (Sasha) and Jonavann (Jonathan). One sister: Odessa Garris and three brothers: Thomas, Sr. (Geneva); Royce (Catherine); and Eric, Sr. (DiAnn). One sister-in-law: Carol Nokes and two brothers-in-law: Richard Nokes and Dennis Nokes; and a host of in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and many, many friends.
Tina was preceded in death by her loving husband, Robert L. Nokes (Bobby) and son, Ronald A. Nokes (Dump).
Tina had a heart of gold and a sweet spirit with a smile to match. She touched so many lives using her voice to uplift through song, kind and encouraging words, or scriptures. She will truly be missed.
Legacy of Love
A wife, a mother, a grandma too, This is the legacy we have from you.
You taught us Love and how to fight, You gave us strength, you gave us might.
A stronger person would be hard to find, And in your heart, you were always kind.
You fought for us all in one way or another, Not just as a wife, not just as a mother.
For all of us you gave your best, Now the time has come for you to rest.
So, go in peace, you’ve earned your sleep, Your love in our hearts, we’ll eternally keep.
Keep on singing for the Lord!! We Love you; We Miss you,
Your Children….
