A homegoing celebration for Mrs. Trudie Mae Black Kearney of Tampa who passed Thursday, June 9, 2016, will be held on Saturday, June 18th, 11:00 a.m. at St. John Progressive M.B. Church, 2504 E. Chipco Street, Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Banks, pastor officiating. The interment will be in Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery. Trudie Mae Black Kearney was born in Blountstown, Florida on October 17, 1932 to the late Kellie Black, Sr., and Mary Holmes. She inherited a rich legacy of faith, family, character and grace. Her parents taught her the values of honesty, truth, compassion, perseverance, and true reverence for God. Trudie accepted Christ at an early age. Before her teen years, her parents owned a store/caf. This is where she developed her culinary arts skills. In her late teens, her parents re-located to the central Florida area (Kissimmee, Florida) Mrs. Kearney received her education in Calhoun Orange and Osceola County Schools. She met and married a local musician, David Kearney aka 'Guitar Shorty' his stage name. Later she moved to Tampa, Florida and met Samuel Mitchell, Jr. a local longshoreman. She started using her culinary arts skills again at a popular restaurant, Morrison's Cafeteria. Soon after she also worked for W.T. Edwards Hospital and St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, where she retired after 35 years of dedicated service. Upon retirement she ministered and touched many lives. She was known for her beautiful smile and kind spirit. She was a member of St. John Progressive M.B. Church, which she loved dearly as she did her Lord and Savior! She was preceded in death by her parents; son, David Kearney, Jr.; brothers, Ernest, B'dell, Wilford, Jayloce, Felix and Kellie Black, Jr.; sister, Mary E. Black and companion, Alfred Richard McCall; sisters-in-law, Lillian Radford, Jean Reeves, Shirley Word, Rosa Lee Lowery and Annie Mae Bell. She leaves to cherish her memory and to celebrate her love and legacy her loving children, Willie 'Edward' Kearney, Rosemary 'Tiger' Mitchell-Carter, Claudell 'Sheila' Mitchell-Busch (Gary); extended children, Kaleatha Mitchell-Tate (George) and Anthony Mitchell (Paula); grandchildren, Tasshonna Yvette Kearney-Desantos (Kevin), Albert T. Farris, David A. Carter and Samuel Freeman; sisters, Flossie Beckwith and Barbara Black; brother, Wallace Black; sister-in-law, Gertrude Kearney; brothers-in-law, Jimmy Kearney, Eric Reeves and James Mitchell; godsons, Dr. Vernon L. Smith, Keith Boykins and William Drayton; goddaughters, Pat Bailey-Straughter, Benita 'Candy' Settles and Ruby Jones; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives in the Kissimmee, Blountstown, Perry, and Cross City areas; special friends, Louise Jones, Howard and Betty Bostick, Annie-Jay Gardner, Jackie Mickens, Mary Dunlap, Jannie Cohen, Erline Hinson and family and friends around Belmont Heights area. The visitation will be held at Aikens Funeral Home on Friday, June 17th from 5 to 8 p.m. The family will receive friends from 5 to 6 p.m. The family and friends are asked to meet at the church on Saturday for the service.

Visitation
Aikens Funeral Home
Friday, June 17, 2016
05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
2708 E. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tampa, FL 33610

Funeral Service
St. John Progressive M.B. Church
Saturday, June 18, 2016
11:00 AM
2504 E. Chipco St
Tampa, FL 33605