Funeral Services will be celebrated at the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel Saturday, January 12, 2013, 11:00 a. m. with burial following in the Lawrence Serenity Sanctum. Visitation will begin at 8:00 a.m. to service time at Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home Chapel.

~ OBITUARY~

"For I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand,
I have fought a good fight, I have my finished my course, I have kept the faith;
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteousness judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only,
but unto all of them also that love his appearing."
2 Timothy 4: 6-8

Exchanging time for eternity, Mrs. Clementine Claiborne passed peacefully from this life the morning of January 4, 2013 after a gradual decline in health.
She was surrounded and supported by her loving family, friends and caregivers during the last days of her life.

Mrs. Clementine Claiborne was born on November 17, 1919 to the late parents, Mr and Mrs. M.E. Smiley. She had three sisters and one brother; Odie Chatman, Emma Lee Walker, Rosie Lee Jackson and Buddy Smiley who all preceded her in death. She was welcomed into heaven by her daughter-in-law Pearlie Mae Claiborne, granddaughters Carolyn Gwen Claiborne and Sheila Hampton.
She was united in matrimony to Mr. Cleveland Claiborne Sr. who preceded her in death.

Mrs. Clementine Claiborne professed her faith and accepted Christ as her personal Savior and united with the St. Matthew Baptist Church. She later moved her membership to the Rock Island Baptist Church to be with her family where she was a faithful and active member of the senior choir until her health declined.

Mrs. Clementine also known as "Clem" was affectionately remembered by family and friends for her sassy church suits with hats to match and her southern down home cooking especially her sweet potato pies and homemade biscuits. She had a sweet smile, but make no mistake, if she had to correct you, she would.
She was a quilter. Those family members who received a quilt from her quickly recognized their baby clothes or some type of clothing that they once wore hand sewn in their quilt.
She was a lady who knew what she wanted and no one could change that.
She loved her hamburgers from Burger King but her fries from McDonalds. If you brought something else back other than what she asked for, you were making another trip!

God was truly the head of her life. Even in her last days, you would catch her humming a church song or nodding her head from side to side if you were singing one. She introduced Christ to her children at an early age as well as her grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. She instilled the importance of their relationship with Him and that they would need Him in life. Her home was the meeting place for the "Shout & Praise Him Now Baptist Church", a church attended by the grandchildren as kids. She knew that at that time, they would be playing church but one day the playing would become true worship & praise for them.

Her imbedded memory and lasting bond for her grandchildren will be the song that she sung as she bounced them all on her knee as babies,
"One can't hold'em down; two can't hold'em down; three can't hold her down;
take a rope and tie them down".
In her last days on earth, hearing this would still make her smile when nothing else would. She may not have said anything while they were there but she knew that this was one of her grandchildren visiting with her.

Mrs. Clementine Claiborne is survived by seven children (and spouses).
Elizabeth Ficklin (Crawford), Cleveland Claiborne Jr. (Pearlie-now deceased), Joseph Claiborne (Pearl) & Moultrie Claiborne of Natchitoches; Eva Hampton, Betty Hampton (Thomas) and Charlie Claiborne all of Houston, TX.