Obituary: Bennie Pearl Threadcraft Grier, 94

PORT CHESTER, NY — Bennie Pearl Threadcraft was born to the late Benjamin and Julia Ann Threadcraft in Blakely, Georgia, the youngest of eight children. Bennie was always the one with a warm heart and a kind spirit, who often settled disputes among the family. She died Oct. 5 at the age of 94.

At a very early age, she gave her life to Christ and joined the Wesley Chapel African Methodist Church in Blakely where the family attended regularly. The Threadcrafts were a very large, well-known family in the town and are cousins to the Drinkard Family, the ancestors of Cissy and Whitney Houston. Years later Bennie and her sister, Juanita, often attended the Drinkard’s family reunions in East Orange, New Jersey.

After her mother died, she left Blakely when she was just a teenager, and moved to live with her older sister, Westona, in Port Chester, New York. She would often travel back home, and with her generous nature, always brought gifts for her nieces and nephews. She married James Grier and to this union three sons were born-James, III, Kevin, and Anthony “Tony” Grier. Bennie Pearl continued to live faithfully and became a member of St. Frances AME Zion Church, where she attended regularly with her new family.

For many years she worked at the New Avon Corporation manufacturing plant, from which she later retired. Bennie was very proud of the many years that she spent there and would often send special products and fragrances to her nieces in South Florida. After her other sisters and many of her dear and closest friends passed away, Bennie moved to South Florida to be closer to her son Tony and his family, as well as to her nieces and nephews in Broward County, Florida.

After her health began to fail, Bennie became a resident of the Consulate Health Care Nursing Home in Kissimmee, Florida, where she lived until her recent death.

She lived a very long life and was the beloved last and oldest relative of the “Threadcraft” clan. Her compassionate and kind nature will be truly missed by all who knew her.

Preceding her in deaths are her parents, Ben and Julia Ann Threadcraft; her sisters:Esther Threadcraft, Juanita Threadcraft Cavanaugh, Westona Threadcraft Dorsett, and Annie Belle Threadcraft Duncan.; brothers Sponcey, Fred, and Alexander Threadcraft; her eldest son James Grier, III, and nephews Lee Anderson Dorsett, Benjamin, James Earl, Lorraine, Joseph “Tommy”, George “Tunie”, Sponcey “Spud”, and Willie “Boo” Duncan.; and one of her closest and dearest cousins Doris Hubbard, who also recently passed at the age of 98.

She leaves to cherish her memories her sons Anthony “Tony” Grier (Angela) of Windemere, FL and Kevin Grier of Mt. Vernon, NY; grandson Raheem Autry of Tobyhanna, PA; grandchildren Alexander, Malina, and Casey Grier; and great-granddaughters Diamond, Kira, and Shanel Autry; nieces Julia Ann McDonald and Carolyn Williams of Oakland Park, FL; Shirley D. Baker (Clifford, Jr.) of Plantation, FL, Shandora Duncan of Lauderdale Lakes, FL, and Kelly Threadcraft of Oakland, CA; nephew William “Skeet” Dorsett of El Cajon, CA; great-nieces Carla Ware of Atlanta, GA, ShaWanda “Trese” Small of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Twanna Baker Wiggins (Clifford, III) of Margate, FL, Loraine Dorsett Adams (Anthony) of Anaheim, CA and Damie Dorsett of Ft. Worth, TX; great-nephew Forrest Earl Dorsett of Las Vegas, NV; close cousins James Smith and Maxine Watson of Saint Augustine, FL, cousins Sharon McGahee of Maplewood, NJ, Adrienne Davis of Kennesa, GA, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Services will be held Oct. 24, 2020, at Roy Mizell & Kurtz Worship Center, 1228 N. W. 6th Court, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.