Alma Reed-Chaneyfield

Alma Reed-Chaneyfield, 78, of Ridgeland passed away Sunday, July 18, 2021, at Beaufort Memorial Hospital in Beaufort, SC. Arrangements are entrusted to Allen Funeral Home of Ridgeland. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our tribute wall.

Alma Chaneyfield, affectionately known as “Blue”,
caught a glimpse of glory on July 18, 2021. She went into the father’s
hands at 8:54 on Sunday night. She had a well lived life and she had
few regrets.
Alma was born to the late Lee Gregory and Rosabell
Chaneyfield DeVore on April 10, 1943. She was small of stature but
she made her presence known wherever she went.
Being the oldest child can be very difficult but Alma was up
to the challenge. She was the General, making sure everyone was ok.
Alma started singing at an early age. She loved to sing. She
sang in several amateur groups during her teenage years and her early
twenties. She was even supposed to be a contestant on the Apollo
Theater Armature Hour in New York City. Alma was a choir member
and a choir leader for most of her life. She led the junior choir and was
a member of the Gospel Chorus in Little Mt. Bethel Baptist Church.
When she came back to South Carolina she became part of New
Road Missionary Baptist Church. She joined the choir and remained
faithful until her illness.
Her professional life was in food services. She was masterful in
the kitchen, cooking, prepping and serving. Again, she was usually the
smallest one in the building but she always made her presence known.
She was a manager at Chock Full of Nuts restaurants throughout NYC.
Her speed was unbelievable if you saw her in action, you would be
amazed. She taught many family members including her sons, Shawn,
and Shariff the food business, she believed in teaching people to fish so
they could always have a skill and be able to feed themselves She was a
caterer and could rival any others with her skills. Many, many people
were happy to eat her cooking and she made food looks as good as it
tasted Alma attended Evander Childs High school in the Bronx, NY
Soon after graduating, Alma met and married Robert Rodriguez and
from this union Shawn Rodriguez was born. Alma and her husband
separated and eventually divorced but she and her son Shawn became
a mighty duo, inseparable, as she made a life for them in NY.
After many years in NY and NJ, Alma decided to return
to Ridgeland. She met and married Joe Major and from this union
Shariff Major was born over sixteen years after her first son Shawn.

Alma’s life was full, she spent a lot of quality time with her
family and loved family reunions. She was fun to be with and she loved
having fun. When she loved, she really loved. She made every sacrifice;
she gave her all. She will be deeply be missed. She is missed already.
Alma’s heart was filled with love and she birthed three children from
her heart (Rashaad, Shane and Gabrielle).
This world is going to miss Alma because she made a mark in
this world. Many that are not present today will miss her as her family
and friends do.
Mourning her loss are: her sons; Shawn, Shariff, Rashaad,
and Shane, her daughter, her joy Gabrielle, her sisters/aunt Evelyn
Chaneyfield Peterson, her uncle; Enoch Chaneyfield, her sisters;
Jaklyn and Denyse DeVore and Lesley Leslie, grandchildren; Shaniece,
Sophie, Nahalynn, Shai’Onna, Jazz-reille and Jacob, super special
friends Dr. and Mrs. Heath Simmons and special cousins/friends
Janey Bush and Jack DeVore.
Alma was preceded in death by her mother and father,
Brothers; Ronald and Isaiha DeVore and Sister Ellaree Stewart.
There are a host of cousins, nieces, nephews who will never forget
her. She will be missed by many whose names we will never know.
She was a world changer and a world shaker. We are better for having
known her.

Here at Allen Funeral Home, we care about your safety. We ask that everyone please follow ALL of DHEC guidelines in regards to COVID-19.

Please actively practice social distancing (6-feet apart) and wear your mask at ALL times during the Allen Funeral Home services.           

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