Osephine Washington was born in Pheba, Mississippi, on October 27, 1934, to General and Oberia Washington. He graduated from Northside High School in 1957 and attended Mary Holmes College. He was drafted and served in the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas, right after high school and honorably discharged after his brief service. He returned home, then married and started a family with his high school sweetheart, Earnestine. They moved to San Diego in 1959 and the Skyline Community in 1966. To this union, they were blessed with four children: Sandra, Kathy, Reginald, and Renee.
Much of Deacon Washington’s time outside of work was spent worshipping The Lord. He accepted Christ at an early age and was very active at First Baptist Church of Pheba. He also was a dedicated servant at the New Hope Friendship Baptist Church for over 60 years and ordained as a deacon by Pastor James Allison in 1974. Not long after, he began serving on the Trustee Board, which lasted 54 years. Forty-five of those years he was the chairman. He also answered the call to help teach the Men’s Sunday School Class and that lasted several years as well.
Deacon Washington also spent much of his life enjoying friends and family on trips to
Mississippi, attending West Point Alumni reunions, going to county fairs and amusement parks, dining at local restaurants at breakfast and dinner time, visiting family in their homes, attending gospel quartet concerts, worshipping at New Hope and with his daughter Kathy at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena, California.
On Monday, September 16, 2024, Deacon Washington was called home to be with The Lord.
He was preceded in death by his wife Earnestine, children; Renee, Reginald, and Sandra, grandson Desmond, sisters; Bernice, Catherine, and Bettye, and brothers; James Robert, and Tommie.
He leaves a blessed legacy and is survived by his daughter Kathy Murrell of Azusa, CA, sisters; Earnestine Bell (George) and Clarice Jackson (Albert) of West Covina, CA, brothers; Johnnie Washington of Temecula, CA (Thelma), Ricky Washington of Tupelo, MS (Anita), James Bell of San Diego, CA (Brenda), and Reverend Willie B. Lairy of Calhoun City, MS (Lucy), sisters in law; Rosetta Poole, Louise Hill, and Bessie Hodges of West Point, MS, Patricia Washington of San Diego, CA, and Gerry Washington of West Covina, CA, 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, 2 great-greatly grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
