Alvina Farrow Thompson was born August 14, 1938, in Havelock (Harlow), North Carolina to Olivia and James Farrow. She confessed Christ at an early age and joined the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. She loved the Lord. She attended the Craven County School system until moving to Monmouth County, New Jersey where she attended the Middletown School System. She married John W. Thompson Jr. on March 19, 1955, and out of their union, seven children were born.
She attended Quinn Chapel AME Church of Atlantic Highlands, NJ until joining the St. Paul Baptist Church of Atlantic Highlands, NJ under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Henry P. Davis Jr. where she was re-baptized on the admission of her Christian faith. At St. Paul, she used her talents by joining the Gospel Chorus and the Senior Usher Board where she served as President for several years. She also did missionary outreach work by visiting the sick and shut in and helping to prepare meals, clean houses, or whatever assistance was needed. She attended and assisted in Vacation Bible School teaching the kindergarteners. She attended weekly classes at the Seacoast Baptist Bible Institute in Farmingdale, NJ. She faithfully attended weekly Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. She also attended Sunday School where she never came alone.
She operated a home daycare for many years, where she cared for some of her own grandchildren, as well as a number of the neighborhood children, all of whom she always endeared as her “grandkids.” One became her special Godchild, Bernitha Hardy, who has remained a part of the family till present. She worked for a brief time out of the home at Marshall’s and the Lilly Cup Factory building.
Alvina was famously known for her backdoor biscuits and her 7-layer Japanese Fruit Cake. She enjoyed crocheting and vacationing. But most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and giving them all her love and words of encouragement. Her favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Alvina and JW left New Jersey in 1989 and retired to Tallahassee, Florida. She visited a few churches before finding and moving her membership to Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church where she served as a Deaconess and on the Mother’s Board. She remained in Tallahassee until the passing of her husband of 61 years in 2016. She then moved to Midway, Florida with her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Johnnie Lee, where they lovingly cared for her daily needs, and their siblings made sure all her needs were met.
Alvina was preceded in death by her parents, James and Olivia Farrow; her husband, John W. Thompson Jr.; her eldest son, Michael; her son, Gazzie, and all her siblings: Spencer, Columbus, James, Christine, Eunice, Mabel and Mary.
She leaves to mourn: her sons Charles, William (Beverly), Mitchell (Roxanne) and Matthew; her daughters Barbara, Elsie, Valarie (Doug), Susan (Johnnie), Janet (Herman), Marsha (Ronald), and Tina; sister-in-law Mildred Hollins; brothers-in-law Moses Thompson and Ervin Thompson; her special niece, Cassie; close special friends Kimberly Buffaloe, Estelle Jenkins, Linda Beach, and Gloria Wright. Alvina also leaves behind a loving legacy of 30 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, 16 great, great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
