Colonel Martha ‘Tea’ Stokes Cleveland

Published 11:32 am Thursday, September 29, 2016

Colonel Martha ‘Tea’ Stokes Cleveland, 97, passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

Colonel Cleveland, a native of Farmville, was a faithful member of Mercy Seat Baptist Church, where she was a trustee, deaconess and hostess for the Hospitality Committee.  She completed St. Phillips Hospital Nursing School in Richmond in 1943.  She later continued her education at Hampton University in Hampton.

She joined the military in 1944, where she served as a nurse, rising through the ranks to become Colonel, until her retirement in April 1974.  Her overseas duty stations included Japan, Korea, Europe, Germany and Thailand. 

Colonel Cleveland was a member of Farmville Chapter #153 OES; Kappa Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Piedmont Virginia Chapter of MOAA; supporter of Call Me Mister of Longwood University.  She participated and supported numerous other community organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther H and Alice Spraggs Stokes; brothers Clem and Leslie Stokes and sister, Carrie V. Stokes. She is survived by brothers, Howard Stokes and wife, Jane of Jessup, MD and John Stokes of Lanham, MD; and sister-in-law, Mildred Stokes of Southfield, MI.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.

The funeral service will be held Saturday, October 1 at First Baptist Church at 11 a.m.  Viewing will be held prior to the service from 10 a.m.– 11 a.m.

Visitation will be held Friday, September 30 from 6 p.m.–8 p.m. at Mercy Seat Baptist Church.

Bland-Reid Funeral Home, Farmville, is serving the family.