Mrs. Gwendolyn Frazier was born a diva to Ann Lou and George Sowell in Cleveland, Ohio on August 3rd 1943. She was the last surviving member of her siblings George Sowell II, Geraldine Moore, and Wilburn Sowell.

She attended Giddings Elementary where she met her husband, Leroy Frazier and some of her lifelong friends.

After graduating from East Tech high school, Gwendolyn worked at Weldon Tool Co. for 21 years, Montefiore nursing home, and cleaning various offices. Ambitious enough and wanting to service her community, she also started her own small recycling company. After retiring, she still was very enthused about life and people, so she decided to return to working by working at McDonald’s a few hours throughout the week and going swimming at the YMCA weekly.

She and her childhood friend, Leroy, were joined in holy matrimony on April 15, 1967. They celebrated their almost 50th anniversary with friends and family in 2015 before Leroy unexpectedly passed later that year of cancer. Together they leave to mourn their four boys Donell, Martin, Carlan, and Marcus, their wives, and bonus daughter Nickole.

She also leaves behind a village of grandchildren to cherish her memory: Elijah, Carlan Jr. (Cj), Carnika, Donee, Kaye, Marcus Jr., Kheziah, Zy’yohna, and Dylani; and great grandchildren: Aiden, Noah, Liam, and Aubrie.

Gwendolyn left this earth peacefully to her eternal home with the Lord on December 30, 2022 at her home of 30+ years after a graceful battle with cancer.

“…love, family, and food were the principles by which she lived by.”

Gwendolyn was a woman of many talents. No matter where she went, she was hands down the best dressed. She exuded confidence, class, and timeless style. Many know her from her exquisite, original haircut, extravagant fashion and jewels, fashionable glasses, eyeshadow, red lipstick, and pleasant aroma; it wasn’t hard to mistake her as a superstar.

And when you thought it couldn’t get better, that wasn’t her only attribute, it was also cooking. She took so much pride in her cooking as it was how she showed and expressed her love best. She was a perfectionist cook who paid attention to the details, neatness, and believed in only making everything from scratch. During her prime years, she would cook daily and there was no dish that she couldn’t champion. However, holidays were a different ball game for her. She would clean and dust the home for hours and plate everything beautifully and precisely. Many would gather to enjoy her perfected recipes including her infamous potato salad, macaroni, collard greens, black eyed peas, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler, and various cakes.

People from everywhere; from the barbershops, schools, neighbors, friends, and community would request and boast about her food.

A true matriarch of her family, she absolutely loved her boys, husband, and then grandchildren. She had so much pride in the family that she created and would boast about them to everyone. She was the Queen of her family and she loved hard. She loved affection–receiving and giving hugs and kisses. She also had such a silly side and loved to share a good laugh with people, being able to make friends wherever she went.

She also loved dearly her extended family and friends, and having them in her home. And because she was the life of the party, she loved having events and get-togethers, bringing everyone together and catching up and reminiscing on memories. She was a very resourceful person to everyone. She carried a lot of knowledge about how to go about things and get things done. If you needed something, literally anything, she would make a way for you. She would even get excited about her ideas and say, “You know what I was thinking?!”.

In addition, she loved going to concerts, Red Lobster and other restaurants, and shopping. She would wake up early on weekends and take a buddy shopping with her. She was a great gift giver, but it was hard shopping for her in return because she had such a unique taste.

To pass time, she loved sitting on the porch to people watch. She would open the doors of her home to anyone, even the neighborhood cat.

She let many of her family members at different times live above her in her duplex, including her grandchildren.

Important to note, once she loved you that was it, but she was also an honest woman who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and tell you how it was. Her love didn’t stop her from “cursing you out” in a respectful manner. If she didn’t like you, it was for a good reason and she didn’t mind telling you.

But more than anything, she was excited for people to win and do well in life! She was very caring in a genuine way, and would remember to ask about all of your family and how they were doing each time she saw or spoke to you.

As she got older, her family would always tease her about her various quirks such as easily frightening her, her inability to see, and lack of memory because she would always say, “Shoot, I can’t remember!” She was terrible with names and would always call everyone the wrong name, even her grandchildren, but you didn’t mind because her love was true.

It was the simple things that meant the most to her. Love, family, and food were the principles by which she lived by.

Her distinct personality left a mark on all of us. She was the only one of her kind and she meant the world to us. We are going to miss her spirit dearly.

“…and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.”