12/20/2025
In Loving Memory
Of
Thelma Ladoris Carey
January 9, 1936 - December 5, 2025
Thelma Ladoris Carey was born on January 9, 1936, and peacefully departed this life on December 5, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of strength, discipline, love and unwavering devotion to family. Her life stands as a powerful testament to character, resilience, and purpose, one that will continue to guide generations to come.
Thelma was the beloved daughter of Roy Massie Payne and Willie Ann Wood, who instilled in her the values of responsibility, dignity, and perseverance. These early lessons became the foundation upon which she built a home rooted in structure, love, and unwavering standards shaping the lives of those who came after her.
A woman of remarkable balance Thelma was firm yet nurturing, disciplined yet deeply compassionate. She believe integrity began at home and ensured her family understood that truth through daily examples. Her work ethic was instilled in her children and grandchildren with intention and consistency. Under Thelma’s watch, responsibility was never optional. You made your bed, washed dishes, cleaned your room, and maintained it. These were not merely chores, but life lessons. Cleanliness, order, and pride in one’s space reflected self-respect and uncleanliness simply did not exist under Thelma’s roof.
She demanded that her children and grandchildren respect their elders, carry themselves with manners, and learn how to provide for themselves as individuals. These expectations were never meant to burden, but to prepare. She taught these lessons not through lectures, but through how she maintained her home honored her responsibilities and lived her life with consistency and purpose.
While Thelma possessed one of the kindest hearts anyone could ever know, her kindness was grounded in strength. It was never a weakness. She had no hesitation in standing her ground or putting someone in their place when necessary, always with clarity, conviction, and love. She understood that true love sometimes required firmness, and she carried that responsibility without apology.
Thelma’s love for her grandchildren was profound and unmistakable. She played an integral role in raising them, standing not only as a grandmother but as a steady, guiding presence in their lives. Alongside her beloved sisters, who all preceded her in death. Thelma formed the village that nurtured, protected, and shaped her grandchildren. There was nothing she would not do for them. She showed up consistently, provided stability, and poured herself into their upbringing with devotion and pride.
She also spoiled them in the ways only a grandmother can, with warmth, laughter, and generosity. Whether through quiet moments, thoughtful gestures, or simply being present, she made each grandchild feel deeply loved and uniquely special. They were her joy, her purpose, and her greatest pride. As time passed and Thelma assumed her as the family’s Matriarch, she extended that same love, guidance, and wisdom to her great-grandchildren. Because of her influence they are better prepared for life, grounded in values that will endure for generations.
Thelma’s life was also marked by profound loss, which she carried with extraordinary grace. She was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Norbert Matthew Carey, whose love and partnership remained a source of strength throughout her life. She also endured the heartbreaking loss of her siblings and her children, pain few could imagine. Yet even in grief, Thelma remained standing. She continued to love, nurture, and give of herself, never allowing sorrow to diminish her spirit. Her strength was quiet, steady, and deeply inspiring.
She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved grandchildren: Jonathan Banks, Tiffany Christmas, Terri Anthony-Brown and husband, Rovelle Brown, Ruth White and husband, William White, and La’Mont Payne.
She also leaves behind her treasured great-grandchildren: Ta’Quaysha, Torius, Erika, Imani, La’ Ajah, Shanna, Jaden, Tishawn, Dimitri, Jacob, Maurice, Jamari, and Khyrie, along with a growing generation of great-great-grandchildren, each a living continuation of her legacy and a reflection of a life that continues far beyond her years.
Also mourning her loss is a nephew who was exceptionally near and dear to her heart, Lloyd Payne. To Thelma, Lloyd was far more than a nephew. He was a constant presence, a source of pride, and someone she loved with the depth and devotion of a son. Their bond was rooted in mutual respect, loyalty, and unwavering affection, and it remained strong through every season of life. She took great joy in his journey, his character, and the man he became, holding him close to her heart always.
That same love extended effortlessly to Lloyd’s children, Krystal Payne and Giavanni Asberry, whom Thelma cherished deeply. She embraced them with the same warmth, guidance, and protective love that defined her role as Matriarch. They were never simply relatives to her, but family in the truest sense, surrounded by encouragement, wisdom, and unconditional care. She celebrated their milestones, prayed over their futures, and took pride in watching them grow.
Thelma Ladoris Carey will forever be missed, lovingly remembered, and deeply cherished. Her legacy lives on in the lives she shaped, the standards she set, and the love she gave so freely. Though she has transitioned from this life, her lessons remain, carried forward by generations who will continue to honor her name.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at Pilgrim Baptist Church, with oo the Reverend Clifford C. Waller officiating.
Arrangement by J. F. Bell Funeral Home Inc. Condolences may be expressed to the family via the guestbook at www.jfbellfuneralservices.com
