Obituary for Equilla Cliaetta Walls
Mrs. Equilla Cliatta Gray Walls, 89, of Detroit, MI, departed this life January 25, 2012. She was born on November 2, 1922 in Bigelow, AR (Perry County) to the late Herschel Harvey Gray and Mary Dockery Gray.Mrs. Walls was trained to work in the church at a very young age. Her conversion occurred at age eleven at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Bigelow, Arkansas. She sang in the choir and worked in the Allen Christian Endeavor League. Mrs. Walls attended one of the Julius Rosenwald schools established for educating Negro children until tenth grade. She later moved with family to Fort Smith, AR and graduated from Lincoln High School on May 31, 1942. After graduation she moved to Little Rock and worked in a boarding home for young ladies and Gus’ Restaurant. She heard about the National Youth Administration Training Program and applied. She took woodworking with the program and shipped out to Seattle, Washington for additional training. She went to Boeing Aircraft Company to work as a Buckler and Riveter on the nose of the B-17 and B-29 aircrafts. She worked at Boeing Aircrafts until laid-off on VE ( Victory over Europe) and VJ, (Victory over Japan) Day. In July 1947 Mrs. Walls became a licensed beautician. In Detroit Mrs. Walls joined Metropolitan AME Church. When it closed, she joined Allen Temple AME Church. Under the administration of the Reverend Armistice Polk, she was appointed a class leader and steward. She also served as trustee. She loved Allen Temple AME Church and served on the Allen Temple Steward Board, the Sarah Allen Missionary Society, the Chancel Choir, the Women’s Guild, the Willing Workers, Sunday school, and Bible Study. She supported all Allen Temple activities to the best of her ability. Mrs. Walls embraced people in general. Some say that people were her hobby and that she knew no strangers. She wrote three unpublished books recording the history of her and her husband’s families. She served and was an active member in the many organizations such as the Ten Grand Social club, the Butzel Recreation Center and the Detroit branch of the Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School of Little Rock, Arkansas Alumni Association. She worked for North Detroit General, the City of Detroit at Receiving Hospital and the Public Health Clinic. She later graduated from the first class of Emergency Technicians for the City of Detroit. Mrs. Walls received the Above and Beyond Award for saving a patient’s life by using good professional judgment based on her outstanding medical knowledge as a nurse. She has an Associates of Arts degree from Wayne County Community College in English. In Detroit she met and married Alvester Walls (deceased). They were married for 45 years before he passed. She is survived by her daughter Vickie (Darnell) Slaughter, sons James and Lawrence Walls and daughter-in-laws Doris Taylor Walls, Rita Walls, and Deborah Kelly McGill, Vickie’s sisters Denise Griffin and Donna Griffin Jones (Moses). Son Alvin and daughter-law Vida both preceded her in death. Mrs. Walls is survived by her siblings, the Rev. Hodijah Gray (Lula), Mrs. Cozetta Gray Quinn (Isaac), Dr. Viola Gray Ellison (Dr. Joseph Ellison, deceased), Mrs. Doretha Gray Stewart (Curtis, deceased) and sister-in-law Mrs. Ola Walls (Bennie, deceased) Jones. Her sisters Carrie Gray and Mrs. Blanchie Gray Mayes (Robert) preceded her in death. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and hosts of nieces, and nephews. Funeral services will be 11 am Thursday, Feb 9, 2012 at Bethel AME Church in Bigelow, AR. Interment will be 11 am Friday, Feb 10, 2012 at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock. Visitation will be 1-6 pm Wednesday, Feb 8, 2012 at the funeral home. Arrangements entrusted to Larry G. Acklin Funeral Home, 910 Walnut Street, Conway. 327-1124 "IN YOUR TIME OF NEED....WE CARE."
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