Alma Teresa Jefferson

On Wednesday, March 8, Alma Teresa Jefferson passed away in Memory Care in Springfield, Virginia from complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. Alma was born on February 8, 1944, as the first of five children of Robert and Samuella Marshall of Queens, New York. As a child and young adult, Alma was a member of Rush Temple AME Zion Church. Alma and her former husband Robert Jefferson (deceased), an architect, lived in Westchester County, New York where they raised their daughter Dawn. She obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Management from Iona College and a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Columbia University Teachers College. Alma developed a career in Human Resources and higher education administration while working at Trans World Airlines, Columbia University in the National Center for Children in Poverty and The City College of New York. She perfected the art of grant-writing and acquired millions of dollars in funds to train aspiring engineers in summer institutes from Harlem to Abu Dhabi. Alma encouraged, mentored, and hired scores of teenagers, particularly young people of color and those whose families had migrated to the States and settled in New York City. In her adult years, Alma was a member of Greater Centennial AME Zion Church in Westchester where she served as a Sunday school teacher for almost two decades, was a lifetime missionary, class leader, and a consecrated deaconess. She helped dozens of youth in her church apply for college and scholarships by assisting them with their essays, and admission applications. For her service to the congregation, she was awarded the Harriet Tubman Award from the Women's Ministry Council in 2021. The greatest honor of Alma's life was being consecrated as a deaconess. She was blessed to prepare communion, pray for the clergy and members, and visit those who were unable to attend service at church. As a deaconess, Alma was committed to discerning younger women to serve. She developed a training program with other local churches to sustain the legacy of the deaconess calling. She pledged the Zeta Nu Omega graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., in Westchester, New York. In addition to her parents, Alma was preceded in death by sisters Elease Watson and Mary Williams. Alma leaves to cherish her memory and mourn her passing: her daughter Rev. Dawn Jefferson (Marquita); sister Elizabeth Marshall (Richard); brother Bobby Marshall (Luisa); a host of nephews, nieces and cousins. Her service will be held at Greenspring Retirement Community Chapel in Springfield, VA on April 1st at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Hope UCC Capital Campaign: https://hopeucc.org/give/ . Interment at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery, Suitland, MD.

Alma Teresa Jefferson

February 8, 1944 - March 8, 2023