Edit Current Bio
UCB is written collaboratively by you and our community of volunteers. Please edit and add contents by clicking on the add and edit links to the right of the content

04 Vining

Born on 4-3-1933. She was born in PA, 00.
  • Basic Info
  • Attachments
  • Relations
  • Organizations
  • Accomplishments
  • Schools
  • Employers
Sister Yvonne Vining was born April 3, 1933 in Scott Haven, Pennsylvania to the late Bro. James E. and Pastor Odessa Elizabeth Bennett (Johnston). She was the third child of seven sisters and four brothers. The product of a loving Christian home, Yvonne was baptized in Jesus' name and filled with the Holy Ghost at an early age, confessing Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, at the Bethlehem Temple Faith Church in Arnold, Pennsylvania. She attended Crescent Elementary, Baxter Junior High, and graduated from Westinghouse High School. Yvonne was united in holy matrimony to Bro. Napoleon Vining on March 7, 1952. To this union five children were born in Pittsburgh, and the family relocated to Lincoln Beach and five more children were born. Sis. Vining gained employment at the H J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh, P.A. and the couple were spiritually blessed.

In October of 1968, the family moved to Buffalo, New York to join the Church of Jesus Christ under the pastorship of Elder Allmon E. Bailey. Yvonne was an exceptionally talented and a faithful worker in the church. She was a piano player who sung high soprano and wrote and composed her own music. She loved music and played piano by ear. Sewing, knitting and crocheting was her second love. Using these God-given talents, she secured employment at Kleinhans Clothing Company where she worked as a seamstress and tailor. Part-time she worked at Lee's Upholstery. She open up her own restaurant and ran it for a few years.

Sister Vining also had a great love for helping people. She served as a personal care aide for 30 years, for agencies such as Health Force and Staff Builder. Her favorite clients were "Polly" and "Dorothy" who she aided for 13 years. If she knew you had a large family you could expect food to be dropped at your backdoor. Vonnie taught her children to value education, own property, only cook with stainless steel pots and pans and always have a juicer machine in your home to distribute green juice to everyone that became sick. When you were around Vonnie you had to respect her and other grown-ups, you could not talk back or speak out of turn. She was a wonderful role- model for a mother, women and grandmother for today's house wives.

Yvonne is survived by her husband of 53 years, Elder Napoleon Vining of Buffalo, N.Y.; three sons: Anthony P. (Linda) Vining of Buffalo, N.Y., Jerome K. (Leslie) Vining of New Kensington, P. A., and Alfred O. (Charlene) Vining of Buffalo, N.Y.; five daughters: Roberta M. (John) Owens of McKeesport, P.A., Sheila L. (Roosevelt) Lee of Buffalo, N.Y., Starlene J. Vining of Gadsden, A. L., Yvonne (Harold) Roberts of Amherst, N.Y., Mercedes B. Vining of Orlando, F. L.; 19 grandchildren: Nadine, John, Delia, Anthony Jr., Sheila, Danielle, Tanisha, Shevonne, Roosevelt III, Rozella, Larry, Jerome Jr. William, Daniel, Lataundra, Crystal, Cassandra, and Alexis; 20 great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews, family, saints, and friends.

I would like to acknowledge four people who were very dear to Vonnie's heart: Sis. Mary Oliver, Evangelist Delores Grant, Pastor Janet Stewart & Mrs. Elizabeth Robson. I believe she would make a beautiful tribute to an African American Uncrowned Queen in Western New York.
Sincerely , Her Children

3rd Place, Grades 4-6
Roosevelt W. Lee
Grade 6, Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts