Obituaries

O’ Warner Porter Woods

O’Warner was the seventh child born to Oscar Reese and Sallie Porter. Her commitment to the Lord was confirmed by baptism in August 1936. She attended Smith School, graduating in 1944 and continued her education at Prairie View A&M University where she attained an Associate of Arts degree in 1946. O’Warner married Sgt. Robert D. Ross of the U.S. Army on May 30, 1948. To this union, five children were born. In 1960, O’Warner returned to Prairie View A&M University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music.
O’Warner was a teacher of academics and music at Smith High from 1962 until 1967 when she married Earl DeShone and—five children in tow—moved to San Francisco, California, where she lived for the next ten years, teaching in the public school system, and an active member of Third Baptist Church.
A staunch believer in higher education, O’Warner enrolled in the University of San Francisco and earned a Master Degree in education in 1977. In August of that same year, O’Warner married Boyd Woods and settled in El Paso, Texas. She continued in her teaching career with the El Paso Unified School District, and became an active member of Shiloh Baptist Church and the local chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority for the next 33 years.
God blessed O’Warner with a beautiful seven octave singing voice. Music was her passion. She shared her passion and gifts with everyone in every way she could—participating in and direction choirs, playing piano, singing, teaching piano and voice, performing at senior homes and centers, and more.
Due to age-related illness, O’Warner returned to Northern California in 2010 to be closer to her children. The next eight years, she was a member of Friendship Baptist Church (Vallejo, California) until she passed from her earthly body.O’Warner was predeceased by her parents; six brothers, Tom Porter, Tillman Porter, Zemonee “Fritz” Porter, Oscar Reese “Red” Porter, Jr., Johnnie Lee “Webster” Porter, and Leroy Roy” Porter and three sisters, Pansy Gay, Etta May Porter and Leo Princeola Bullard. She is survived by her five children, Carolyn Harris, Wanda Hicks, Sandra Ross, Shirley Ross and Robert J. Ross; two sons-in-law, Charles Harris and Lorenzo Hicks; eleven grandchildren, Charlotte Lee, Chatha Lee, Ivy Amedee, Marlon Amedee, Daryl Hicks, Perry Brown, III, Sharay Ross, Daniel Hicks, Domenique Brown, Cory Harris and Zamarri Ross; and fifteen great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind a host of beloved nephews, nieces, grand/great-grand nieces and nephews, other relative and friends.