Josie B. Washington's Obituary
Josie B. Washington was on born March 13, 1943 in Leona, Texas. A true woman of God, an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt. She was the Frist Lady of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Sacramento for 38 years. She spent 30 plus years in the field of education with Sacramento City Unified School District. She also was the former director for the National Youth Sports program (NYSP) at CSUS (California State University of Sacramento). She was a community activist and trailblazer, being the first Black woman elected to a public office (School Board) in Sacramento County in 1976 (an elected member and president of the Grant Joint Union High School District Governing Board) for 13 years.
First Lady Washington was full of life, laughter and love. She was a beacon of light and hope in the Del Paso Heights community, touching lives through her assertiveness of fighting for equality and educational equity of minority students in the Del Paso Heights community and those whom she fostered and counseled throughout her years in education. She was recognized for her work and trailblazing efforts in education by President Jimmy Carter with an invite to the White House in 1979. She was selected as one of the four hundred educators in the United States that attended and received this recognition.
Her favorite quote: “I can’t, but God can!”
On July 6, 2024 our wife and mother passed away after a 12-year long battle with dementia. Preceded in death by her father and mother (JB Brooks Sr. and Josephine (Taylor) Brooks, her sisters Betty Jean Brooks, Jessie Lee Brooks and Lonnie Hattie Ephriam, her brother-in-law, Benny Ephriam and niece, Tina Brooks-Livingston. Leaving a legacy through her husband of 57 years, Pastor Eugene J. Washington, daughters: Eugenia Washington-Johnson (Marques), GioVonna Washington-Woodfy (Patrick), grandchildren: Lawrence Evans and Gianna Woodfy, and great-grandchildren: Maliyah and Maven.
The Celebration of Life Service will be held on Friday, July 26, 2024 at 11 am at St. Paul Church of Sacramento, 3996 14th Ave Sacramento, CA 95820. Any floral arrangements sent directly to St. Paul have to be delivered between the hours of 9 am - 10 am the day of the service.
On behalf of the Washington and Brooks family, we thank you all in advance for your prayers, love, support and heart-felt condolences during our time of bereavement.
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