Mother Adell Stocks Waugh, 74, of Columbus, Ohio departed this life and transitioned from labor to reward on Thursday, February 4, 2021 at Riverside Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

She was born on January 15, 1947 in Rome, Georgia to the late Mr Herman and Mrs Nora Stocks. She lived in Georgia until she was about 4 years old, when her parents decided to move to Columbus, Ohio in pursuit of gainful employment and a better life. Although she considered herself to be a certified “Georgia Peach”, Columbus would become her stomping ground and she grew to love and embrace it as her home.

As a teenager, after the passing of their parents, both Adell and her brother James were entrusted into the care of their Aunt Flora. They were able to thrive and grow into capable young adults under her care, and they have always been appreciative and thankful for their aunt's love, sacrifice, and support during such a critical time in their lives.

Even as a young woman, Adell loved spending quality time with good people. Being sociable was second nature to her. She loved to get together with friends and family to have a good time talking, laughing, singing, dancing, and eating good food. Another one of her favorite things to do was roller skating. In fact, she skated so well and so often that she became regarded as one of the BEST roller skaters in the city of Columbus at that time. Over the years, she would make sure to keep her household aware of this fact...just in case they didn’t know or had forgotten.

During her early adult years, as she looked to build a good life for herself and her young son Anthony (Tony), she met and fell in love with James D Waugh Jr. of Columbus, Ohio. They were joined in holy matrimony on May 2, 1970 and began building their new life together. From this marriage, two children were born...Gary Dwight and Joy Marcia.

As her personal life began to develop, so did her work life. Adell started her working career at the Columbus Police Department as a Dispatcher, and then took a new job in 1969 as a Production Technician with (then) Western Electric on Broad Street in Columbus (which later became AT&T, and then, Lucent Technologies). She would eventually retire from Lucent Technologies after 30+ years of loyal service.

In 1976, she made the decision to become a member of the Supreme Council of the House of Jacob, of the U.S.A. Inc. This decision played a significant role in shaping her spiritual life in a way that would set her and her young family on a path of service and impact. As a member of the church, she not only embraced its precepts and teachings but also its people. Along with her husband, Adell began to grow in the gospel of Christ under the auspices of the church and received several elevations in the ministry, leading up to and including ministerial ordination and dedication to the Motherhood.

Mother Adell was a gifted singer, and was a proud member of the Supreme Council of the House of Jacob National Choir, as well as the Joyful Sounds of Columbus, Ohio. She was a dedicated church Mother and participated in Bible School, Senior Saints and Daughters of God organizations. Aside from her family, the church was her life. She believed that 99 and a half wouldn’t do, and so she remained a faithful and dutiful member until the end.

Mother Adell greeted everyone with a smile and always had a kind and encouraging word or deed to give, regardless of the situation. She was always willing to give a helping hand whenever she could. She was also known for her many sayings and phrases. She would often say “You can’t go to pity city” and “Don’t give up, there’s always hope”. She would also help you to understand the difference between what she called being a “Saint” and a “Say’Aint”. If you were in “trouble” with her, she would wave her finger and say “I’m going to put you on my list!” and if she ever called you her “Baby”, you knew somehow that everything was going to be alright.

She loved to laugh and have fun but she did not tolerate fake people and was quick to let you know it. She would always say, “Just be true, and be real”. Whenever she would preach, testify or just talk to you one-on-one, a common theme would be, “We all have room for improvement and we need to treat each other right”.

Mother Adell was also a great cook. She loved to prepare & eat tasty food...including her favorite dish...chicken. Whether it was fried, baked, roasted, grilled, or rotisserie, it was always an easy choice for her. She became famous for her potato salad, and of course her Pineapple Orange cake, affectionately known as “Mother Waugh’s cake”.

On May 2, 2020, she was blessed to celebrate fifty years of marriage with her husband, Advanced Presiding Elder James Waugh. She was a dedicated, loyal, and devoted wife to her husband and she exemplified Proverbs 31:10-12. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” She loved her husband, her children, her family, her friends, her church, and above ALL her GOD, without apology. To know her was to love her, and to know love itself.

Surviving with her husband are two sons, Mr. Anthony L “Tony” Waugh of Columbus, Ohio; Brother Gary D. (Elderess Ebony) Waugh of Lanham, Maryland; and one daughter, Sister Joy M. Waugh of Columbus, Ohio; a brother, Mr. James Stocks of Columbus, Ohio; and six grandchildren, Shawnte Waugh of Dayton, Ohio, LaNees Moore of Columbus, Tonette Moore of Columbus, Brother Gary Waugh Jr. and Sister Bethany Waugh of St. Louis, Missouri, and Brother Christopher Taylor of Arlington, Virginia; all of her dearly beloved in-laws, and a host of extended family, special friends, and church family.

The family wishes not to mourn, but to celebrate the life of Mother Adell Waugh, because she was a constant source of joy, inspiration, hope, and upliftment to all of us. We wish to extend sincere thanks and gratitude for all expressions of sympathy and condolences during this time of bereavement.