The Celebration of Life for Mrs. Marva Ann Platt Paul,67, of Orange, will be Saturday, September 17, 2022, at 11am at the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Rites of Christian Burial will follow at Hollywood Community Cemetery under the direction of Sparrow Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from 10 until 11am.
Marva entered eternal rest on Friday, September 2, 2022. She was born December 11, 1954, to Carl Platt Sr. and Helen J. Platt, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Marva was the second child of twelve children.
She attended public schools in Allen Parish, Louisiana and Orange, Texas. As a young girl, Marva was left with her grandparents in Oberlin, Louisiana to attend kindergarten and first grade while her parents located to Orange, Texas for better employment opportunities. She was in the same classroom with her Aunt Gayle Jones. Marva attended Wallace Elementary where she participated in the school choir. She became involved with the F.H.A. (Future Homemakers of America) during her junior high school years at M.B. North. In 1972, Marva graduated from Lutcher Stark High School eighteenth in her class. Throughout high school, Marva was very active in school extra-curricular activities. She participated in reading contests, was a spotlight student in homemaking for two years and excelled in vocational office education. Her after school activities also consisted of working for the Neighborhood Youth Corp with children of lower income families and the Selective Service System (draft board).
Marva was a proud “Tiger” alumni. She was the epitome of a classmate and friend. Often organizing her classmates for reunions, birthday parties, and fundraisers, she would lead them to nights of fun memories and splendor.
After graduation from high school, Marva worked at the Texas Employment Commission for three months. She then attended Chenier Business College for two years and was the top student in typing. She also did very well in bookkeeping and shorthand. After graduating from Chenier in 1973, Marva worked at Firestone Polymers, through a contract secretarial group. She then obtained permanent employment with Gulf States Utilities as a customer accounting clerk. In 1976, Marva was employed at Firestone Polymers in the maintenance service group. She then returned to the Texas Employment commission and remained there until her employment at Polysar Inc. on January 28, 1985. Her other employment opportunities included VaMac Campaigns at Dupont of Orange and The Orange County Jail as a head cook.
Marva’s hobbies consisted of cooking and catering, sewing, various crafts, shrimping and crabbing. She also enjoyed playing softball. Marva was a member of the Debonaire Arts and Civic Club which was a community service organization that specialized in aid to the elderly. She was a member of the Top Ladies of Distinction which is a national humanitarian and service organization serving youth and adults. An avid community service person, Marva was the camp coordinator for Beat-the-Streets of Orange, Texas sponsored by the late Attorney, Marcia B. DeLarue which delivered high quality and sustainable educational and sports-based youth development programs that empowered underserved youth. She was also a member of the Texas Rangers Posse of Orange, Texas which celebrates black history in rodeo and trail riding.
Marva was the owner of D.J.’s Barbeque and Restaurant of Orange, Texas that later became “Club D.J.’s”. She along with her staff and loving mother catered numerous affairs and served various southern dishes including “homemade links” that ONLY her mother and her son – D.J., know the “secret recipe”.
Marva was a loving mother, wife, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin. She supported her parents and siblings all throughout the years. She had the “cooking talents” of her mother and enjoyed hosting family and friends for holidays, celebrations and special events, and backyard parties.
Marva was preceded in death by her father, Carl Platt Sr., her brothers, Lionel Platt, and Carl Platt Jr.
She leaves to cherish most precious memories with her loving son, Donald Joseph Paul Jr. “D.J.” (Veronica); step-daughter, Donna Lynn Paul; granddaughters, Aliyah Paul and Laila Paul; step-granddaughter, Whitney Jennings; and step-great-grandson, Aderyn Stephens; her loving mother, Mrs. Helen J. Platt of Orange, Texas; Six brothers, Andrew L. Platt (Eva), Calvin Platt (Deatrice), Ralph L. Platt (Marie), Tommy W. Platt, Warren “Jack” Platt (Zena), and Nathan H. Platt; Three sisters, Sharon Y. Platt (Ashton), Linda F. Platt-Bryant, and Almetria Platt- Deon (Marvin); Two special cousins raised with her family, Roslyn Cole (Mark) and Robert Jones (Tina).
A host of nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, other relatives, and family friends will forever cherish her memory.
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