Willie Mae Pendleton was born in Uniontown, Alabama to the union of James and Mary Lee Johnson on June 30, 1934. Willie Mae was the third oldest of 9 children. She graduated in 1954 from Dunbar High School in Bessemer, Alabama with the trade of being a beautician.

At an early age, Willie Mae was baptized at the Friendship Baptist Church in Uniontown, Alabama. After moving to Cleveland, Ohio, Willie Mae joined Second Tabernacle Baptist Church in the mid-1960s where she was a member for many, many years. She read her Bible every day, enjoyed watching TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network) and sung church hymns while cooking and cleaning her house.

Willie Mae met the love of her life, Lawrence Edward Pendleton, in Cleveland, Ohio. The two wed in September 5, 1959. To this union, three children were born: Michael Jerome Pendleton, David Louis Pendleton and Lolita Brena Pendleton. She was very proud of all her children and made it known to everyone what they did for a living: (an Electrical Engineer, a Social Worker and a Pharmacist).

Willie Mae was a very hard-working woman. She was employed at Mills Restaurant, World Publishing Company, lunch teacher aide at Moses Cleaveland Elementary School and Sears (Tobacco Shop/Ticketron) at Randall Park Mall where she retired on July 1, 1998.

Willie Mae was a great cook and awesome baker who loved making everything from scratch such as pound cake, coconut cake (she loved coconut), sweet potato pie, banana bread, tea cakes, banana pudding, rolls, cornbread dressing, fried okra (she loved okra) and potato salad. Also, she loved eating cheese (especially Hoop Cheese) and other sweet things such as cookies (i.e. Stage Planks, Ginger Snaps and Oatmeal cookies), peppermint candy, silver bells (Hershey Kisses), Chick-O-Stick and Laffy Taffy (where she will tell the jokes that are on the wrappers).

She was known to her friends, sisters, brothers and cousins as Mae (Woodtee or Wood), to her nieces and nephews as Auntie Mae Mae and if you weren’t either if those, you became her baby, daughter or son. Willie Mae loved to talk, whether it was on the phone or in person. She told it like it was-not sugar coating anything and would tell you if you are right or wrong. Willie Mae loved, shared & lived by the Golden Rule which is “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12).

Willie Mae is preceded in death by her parents, her spouse, Lawrence Edward Pendleton, as well as her siblings, Arthur Johnson, Rosie Lee Johnson Williams, Johnnie Johnson and James Arthur Johnson.

Willie Mae leaves to cherish her memory: two sons, Michael Jerome Pendleton (LaVerne) of Twinsburg, Ohio and David Louis Pendleton (Donna) of Twinsburg, Ohio; daughter, Lolita Brena Pendleton of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; three sisters, Edna Elder (Eugene) of Warrensville Hts., Ohio, Sarah Johnson McKinstry of Bessemer, Alabama and Juanita Johnson (Arnold) of Garfield Hts., Ohio; one brother, Robert Johnson of Bessemer, Alabama; four grandchildren, Stephanie Correne Pendleton, Jordan Nathaniel Pendleton (Josselin), Micah David Pendleton and Gabriel Marie Pendleton, one great granddaughter, Luna Jordan Garibo-Pendleton, a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

We are grateful and blessed that Willie Mae Pendleton lived to be 90 years old on this earth. Willie Mae Pendleton, an intelligent, smart, generous, admirable, nurturing, strong, loving, spiritual and beautiful woman, will be missed tremendously. We love you Mom!

Humbly submitted,

The Family