Emma Gaiter

Funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 7, 2012 at Prince of Peace Baptist Church, 725 South 24th Street. Pastor R. B. Corley will officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Friends may call at the church on Friday from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m., where the family will be present from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for the family hour. Mother Emma Kate (Townsend) Gaiter went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at Saginaw Geriatric Nursing Home after a lengthy illness at the age of 79 years, surrounded by family and friends. Mother Gaiter was born July 26, 1932 in Goshen, Alabama to Jeff B. Townsend and Jessie M. Owens. Mother Gaiter attended Pleasant Ridge Public School in Alabama. She attended New Mount Zion Baptist Church and was baptized at an early age. She married Buford V. Gaiter, Sr. on August 11, 1952. They shared almost 54 years together before he passed away on March 2, 2006. Through the years Mother Gaiter attended Tabernacle Baptist Church, Truevine Baptist Church and was a faithful member of Prince of Peace Baptist Church until her health failed. For a short time Mother Gaiter worked at the Franklin Hotel in Downtown Saginaw, but her lifetime job was raising and loving her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mother Gaiter leaves to cherish many precious memories, four sons and three daughters, Buford, Jr. (Sallie), Eddie (Brinda) Willie (Alice) and Everette Gaiter, all of Saginaw, MI, Melvie (Jerome) Reese, Saginaw, MI, Jessie (Bruce) Taylor Memphis, TN and Emma (Terry) Richard, Saginaw, MI; Daughter-in-law, Gail B. Herring-Oliver; three brothers, L.C. (Mary) Townsend and Oliver (Nora) Townsend, both of Saginaw, MI and Willie (Grace) Townsend, Troy, AL; three sisters, Annie G. (Leonard) Burns, Media, NY, Lillie Davenport, Goshen, AL and Jessie Jackson, Flint, MI; 21 grandchildren, Shandra Gaiter, Deverette (Tiffany) Gaiter, Cherel (Anthony) Land, Eddie Jr., (Shawquinna) Gaiter, Milton (Denise) Oliver, Jr. , Terry Richard, Jr., Lacreshia (Kevin) Moore, Jamar Williamson, Alnisha (Kenneth) Muschette, Akeshia Speight, Eboni Wade, Vernon Gaiter, Marshall Oliver, Keshia Richard, Wesley (Courtney) Gaiter, Jerome Reese, Jr. Matthew Oliver, Whitney Williamson, Aaliyah Williamson, Gresley Smith and Christopher Smith; 22 great-grandchildren, many other relatives and friends. Mrs. Emma Gaiter was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one son, Milton Oliver, Sr.; one brother, Odis Townsend; five sisters, Hattie M. Jackson, Dorothy Copeland, Willie Murdis Brundidge, Willie Mae Bell and Vera Fuller.

Emma Gaiter

July 26, 1932 - March 31, 2012