Ophelia Felder

Ophelia Long Johnson Felder was born on November 23, 1935 to Rev. Enlis and Savannah (Stinson) Long in Prattville, Alabama.  She was the second of three children born to this union: Corinthis and Omega, along with older sisters, Marie and Gussie Long. The family moved to Rochester, NY where her father founded the Peace Missionary Baptist Church in 1953. She attended #9 Elementary and graduated from Rochester’s East High School in 1954. On January 10, 1956, she married John Clyde Johnson Finlayson of Nassau, Bahamas.  To their union three children were born: Sharon Azelle, John Enlis and Carla Denise.  Later, in 1974, she married Odis Felder, Sr.  After graduating from the Rochester Business Institute, Ophelia (“Fifi”) was employed as an executive secretary for F.I.G.H.T., a community organization formed in the aftermath of the 1964 riots.  She then served as Administrative Secretary for the University of Rochester and the American Red Cross from which she retired in 1984.  In 1990, she relocated to Columbus, OH. She was an active member of Living Faith Apostolic Church until her decease on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at her home at Paramount Senior Living of Westerville.  Preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, sister and daughter, Carla.  Left to cherish her memory are: her children, John (Sharon Jo) Johnson, Sr.,  Sharon (Darrell) Francis; sister-in-law, Ethel Mae Long of Memphis, TN; grandchildren, Carmen Savannah of Atlanta, GA, John, Jr., Hiesha, Valerie Danielle, Wesley, Schuyler, and Aleja Johnson, Emmanuel Reynolds, Alexander Francis, III; a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and loved ones.

Bishop Edgar A. Posey ~ Eulogist