Mrs. Velvet Vesey Dozier

To be in her presence was to experience love. Velvet was born in Detroit, Michigan, August 11, 1937, together with her twin sister Velma Wilson to Narvell and Burl Henry Vesey. She was the tenth of thirteen children. The family had recently relocated to Michigan from Oklahoma before the twins’ birth. Velvet was known for looking just like her paternal grandmother, Bettie Sikes Vesey, and was named by her father, who said her eyes were dark as coal and her skin reminded him of velvet. Her early education was at Barstow Elementary School in Detroit and Carver Elementary School in Inkster. She graduated from Inkster High School, class of 1956, and left her mark as a member of the “Rockets” and “Inkster Torpedos,” known to be one of the best girls’ softball teams, where she played alongside her twin Velma and older sister Ruth. As sweet and gentle as she was known to be, Velvet never let you forget that she was born under the zodiac sign of Leo. A true lioness can never be contained, and she had a stubborn side. Velvet was known for cutting bangs against her mother’s wishes, and she eloped with her high school sweetheart, Alvin L. Mears, Sr., while on a trip to California. Within that union, Alvin (Jr.) and Valerie Mears were born. Velvet lived for a period of one year in California. When Velvet returned to Michigan, she went on to be employed at Ford Motor Company where, to this day, a plaque with her name is on the “UAW Local 900” wall in Wayne, Michigan due to her union executive board leadership and involvement. She took several classes at the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations in partnership with the University of Michigan and Wayne State University and diligently worked at Ford for twenty years until she retired. Velvet became a lifelong member of the Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army along with most of her family in the early 1950s and served on the Mother’s Board. She helped her parents start several Israel churches and went on to have the honor of becoming a “Golden Jewel.” Velvet met and married her spiritual soulmate, Bishop Henry Mack, Israel's Assistant Overseer. As a helpmate there was nothing she would not do in support of their spiritual walk. They worked tirelessly to build up Israel’s Michigan Temple 8 from painting the basement to selling barbecue dinners for building funds. This union resulted in the birth of Crystal and Aaron Mack. They lived as a loving family until Bishop Mack’s untimely transition. Raising four children on her own, Velvet always had a mindset of abundance. Her children never went without, and she was known for her sense of fashion and style. As a single woman, she purchased her own home in an area of Inkster with few Black families and went on to own a Cadillac Eldorado. She was known for her giving spirit, so much so that it was a running family joke that she would give the shirt off her back and yours. She was always willing to offer her last to others. Velvet met and married the late Richard Dozier. They went on to build a second home in Rome, Georgia where they often spent their summers until they permanently relocated there and helped with the ministry at the Church of God and Christ. In her retirement, Velvet became a licensed CNA at a senior center in Georgia where she was over the food encouragement program and brought her gentle touch to those she cared for. If you spent any time with Velvet, you know that wisdom was her natural gift, and she always left you feeling better than she found you (even when you thought you were at your best). She saw beauty in all people and purposed herself to live a life of forgiveness, commenting that no one was important enough to block her blessings from God. Her positive outlook was truly infectious. Velvet moved back to California in 2011 to spend the remainder of her years with many of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Velvet commented that when she was younger she asked God, "What is my purpose?" And then she looked around at her “pond,” which she would affectionately call her immediate family, and would say, “All this came from little old me.” She was truly proud of her children, their families and to be a Vesey woman. “We come from good stock,” she would tout. Velvet was a true pillar of Israel’s Compton California Temple, which was her final spiritual home, and was blessed to see her son Alvin become a called Bishop. She never missed an opportunity to testify about the goodness of the God of Israel in her life and was always willing to travel near and far with her son Alvin and niece Lynnett to attend church events. In addition to travel, Velvet enjoyed shopping, word search puzzles, watching channel 9’s “court block" shows, spiritual or news programs, and ending the night with Family Feud. On any given Saturday you would find her watching women’s wrestling, playing cards while listening to rhythm and blues, as well as gospel, or watching documentaries about Black history with a Pepsi and a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in hand. Velvet transitioned from being an earth angel to a spiritual angel on April 22, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. In the days, weeks, and months before, she was cared for by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her twin sister Velma’s children and grandchildren, and was visited by a host of spiritual and natural family who gave her all the love that she had poured out over the years. Velvet was preceded in death by her father Burl; mother Narvell; brothers Melvin, Parnell, Burl, and Rudolph; sisters Lucille, Ina-Christine, Vondell, Virdell, Ruth, and Christell; and her loving son Aaron. She leaves her twin sister Velma Wilson; brother Venus Henry Vesey (Sue); four (4) children: Bishop Alvin L. Mears, Jr. (Peggy), Valerie Curry (Richard), Crystal Prince (Kenneth), and stepson William Mack (Marie); seven (7) grandchildren: Bianca Page, Esq. (Kenneth), Dr. Aminah Mears, Takiyah Esters (Jeremy), Kenneth Prince, Jr., Erica Smiles (Soloman), Jessica Johnson (Frederick), and Christen Curry; six (6) great-grandchildren: Aaron Bradley, Travis Johnson, Jr., Lyric Page, Mikayla Atkins, Kenneth Page, III, and Aaliyah Esters; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, and friends.

Mrs. Velvet Vesey Dozier

August 11, 1937 - April 22, 2023