Ms. Odessia Jefferies, 89, of 523 West Montgomery Street, passed away Monday, May 20, 2019, in Lancaster Convalescent Center, Lancaster, SC.

She was born in Cherokee County and was a daughter of the late Benjamin and Mattie Littlejohn Hemphill Jefferies.

Odessia was a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church where she served as an usher and missionary. She was a member of the Cherokee County NAACP and a charter member of the Senior Citizen’s Red Hatters.  

She was preceded in death by siblings: William Hemphill, M.B. Jefferies, L.D. Jefferies, Vera McCluney, Ozelia Jefferies, and Annie Jefferies.

Surviving are: a son, Dennis (Drena) Jefferies, of Lancaster, SC; a daughter, Brenda (George) Patterson, of Fort Washington, MD; seven grandchildren, including: Anthony (Sheila) Jefferies, of Shelby, NC, Terrance Jefferies of Fort Mill, SC, and April Jefferies of Bowie, MD; seventeen great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Rosa Roberts of Chicago, IL, and Lorraine Jefferies of Jamaica, NY; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

The Funeral Service will be Saturday, 1:00 p.m., in Mt. Zion Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. A.L. Brackett officiating.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery.  She will be in state in the church Saturday at 12:00 noon.

The family is at the home of Anthony and Sheila Jefferies, 310 James Love School Road, Shelby, NC.

The Gilmore Mortuary