Altamease Barnaby (Mease) was born on March 26, 1936 to her parents the late James Arthur and Mary Ellen Kenchion in Jacksonville Florida. She accepted Christ at an early age, and began her Christian education as a member of Saint Stephens AME Church. After returning to Jacksonville, FL, she became a member of Joint Heirs Christian Center. There she sang in the choir and served as a bible study group leader until her illness.
She was educated in the public schools of Duval County where she graduated from Old Stanton High School in the class of 1954. She then attended and graduated from the Hampton Institute where she was a member of was a member of the Phillis Wheatley Society. She later moved to Washington DC where she furthered her education at George Washington University.
After completing college, she served her country by joining the Air Force. She loved to travel and was an accomplished singer. While in the Air Force, she was stationed in Germany. After completing her tour of duty, she moved to Washington, DC, where she met and married the late Edison Barnaby and worked for the National Institute of Health as a computer programmer. They later moved to Key Largo, Maryland where she lived until she returned to Jacksonville to care for her ailing mother.
Altamease (Mease) loved her family, enjoyed life and showed herself to be a committed Christian.
Altamease passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at Community Hospice. She will forever be missed and loved her by family and friends. She is survived by her cousins, Florence Brannon (Hubert), Shelia Jones, and Walter Johnson Sr. (Josephine); nephews, Farris Long and Walter Johnson, Jr. (Kori); niece, Nakia Gaines (Eric); and a host of grand nieces, nephews, and devoted care taker, Tanekia Glenn.
Sarah L. Carter's Funeral Home Northside is serving the family.
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