Ada Murray Favors

Ada Murray Favors was born on December 2, 1934 in Beaufort, South Carolina to the late Alma Jenkins Murray and Elvin Murray. Two brothers preceded her in death, Jack and Leroy, Sr. Ada and her mother moved to New York City when she was still a child. She was educated in New York City Public Schools and attended P.S. 103, 159 and Washington Irvin High School. She graduated from Washington Irvin High School in June 1952 after completing secretarial courses and began working for a law firm as a legal secretary. In 1954, Ada started working for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) in New York City until she was transferred to the Washington D.C. location in September 1973. Ada received numerous awards for her many years of dedicated service while working for USDA. She was admired by many coworkers and business partners. She retired from USDA in September 1990. Ada and her former coworkers kept in touch over the years and when they wanted to get in touch with a former coworker, they would always call her and she would research the information and let them know. Ada also worked part-time for Montgomery Ward from 1976 until it went out of business in 2001. The company presented her with several awards for her outstanding customer service.

Ada accepted Christ at an early age, joining the Mount Bethel Baptist Church in New York where she served as a junior usher, later as a Sunday school teacher, church secretary and one of the matrons of the junior choir. Upon transferring to the Washington D.C. area, she joined the Mount Salvation Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia, then the Ark of Love Baptist Church. The commute became too much for Ada and she found out about Shiloh Baptist Church where some of her neighbors and former coworkers attended. At her second visit, she joined Shiloh and after her orientation classes was invited to join the Chancel Choir and served faithfully. Ada provided transportation to choir members for rehearsals, bible study, church services, luncheon gatherings and doctors’ appointments.

In 1958, Ada married the late Joseph Favors and from this union, a daughter, Sharon N. Favors was born.

Ada was active in her townhouse community, serving on the Board of Directors as secretary and attending the political meetings.

Ada leaves to cherish her memory a devoted daughter, Sharon; a nephew, Leroy Jenkins, Jr.; a sister-in-law Rita Jenkins; a cousin, Charles Regular; her nieces Rosalind Aples, Ronda Jones and Luthenia “Missy” Jenkins; a grandniece, Chantal Jenkins; a play granddaughter, Bianca Sidberry; a play son, Clarence Whitehurst and a host of other relatives and friends.