Missionary Edna Mae Plummer

Missionary Edna Mae Plummer peacefully slept away on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the comfort and love of her home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Born on September 23, 1945, in Chesapeake, Virginia, Edna Mae was the beloved daughter of the late Rufus Wilson and Alberta Wilson, both of whom preceded her in death.

Edna Mae leaves to cherish her memory her devoted husband of 56 beautiful years, Earnest Wilbert Plummer Jr., whom she married on August 4, 1970. Their union was rooted in unwavering devotion, faithfulness, sacrifice, friendship, and enduring love. She loved her husband deeply and served her family with gladness, dignity, and care. Through every season of life, Edna Mae remained steadfast beside him, protecting him fiercely, supporting him faithfully, and loving him completely. Together they built a home covered in prayer, structure, warmth, and peace. In their retirement years especially, they became beautifully inseparable, often found enjoying quiet rides to the country, breakfast outings, evenings together, and the simple companionship that only true covenant and lifelong love can produce. From this union came six beloved children: Anthony Mario Wilson (preceded in death); Miranda Ann Plummer-Frazier of Virginia Beach, Virginia; La’Chanda Chaney of Tampa, Florida; Daniel Wilbert Plummer of Richmond, Virginia; Ron Christopher Plummer (preceded in death); and Fernanda Miriam Plummer of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

She also leaves to cherish her memory fourteen cherished grandchildren; four beloved great-grandchildren, with more joyfully expected; beloved godchildren Amy Stobart, Elijah Shepherd, and Simone McNeil; her beloved
siblings Angelina Cuffee of Chesapeake, Virginia; Carolyn Wilson of Chesapeake, Virginia; Catherine Wilson (preceded in death); Rufus Wilson, Jr. of Chesapeake, Virginia; Randolph Wilson, Sr. of Chesapeake, Virginia; and Mona Harney of Chesapeake, Virginia; along with a host of extended, adopted, spiritual, and deeply loved grandchildren, family members, and friends who will forever celebrate her life, her love, and her memory.

Edna Mae faithfully served Virginia Beach Public Schools at Princess Anne Elementary School for 33 years. It was there, under the guidance of Ms. Tyler, a colleague, that she first learned the art of sewing. What began with patterns, straight seams, and necessity soon blossomed into extraordinary artistry. As a mother raising six children, she learned how to create the beauty she admired with her own hands. Sewing became more than a craft to Edna Mae. It became sanctuary, expression, therapy, creativity, and joy. The dining room table became the birthplace of her artistry. Through the late hours of the night, the hum of her sewing machine echoed softly throughout the house as beauty emerged beneath her fingertips. What others purchased from luxury storefronts, she quietly learned to create with her own hands. Her fashions carried such refinement and distinction that one could scarcely tell the difference between her handmade designs and the finest garments displayed in stores.

Edna Mae was a woman’s woman: graceful, detailed, fashionable, and beautifully put together. From her brooches and watches to the elegant hats that crowned her carefully tailored suits, she believed in presenting herself with dignity, beauty, and care. Sunday mornings were not merely preparation for church; they were acts of reverence. Fourth row from the front, often seated at the corner, she became a familiar and beloved presence within the sanctuary. The gentle fragrance of White Diamonds lingered softly behind her, while her quiet elegance spoke long before words ever did. Over time, her artistry expanded beyond garments into exquisite handkerchiefs adorned with lace, ribbon, and intricate detail. She was the “Handmaiden of Handkerchiefs,” beloved both within and beyond the Church of God in Christ fellowship for the elegance and excellence of her craftsmanship.

In June of 1976, Edna Mae received salvation at New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Bishop Barnett Karl Thoroughgood, whom she loved dearly not only as pastor, but as family and friend. Shortly thereafter, she was filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost, an experience she often described as life-transforming. She would later testify that after salvation she attempted to revisit some of the things she had once enjoyed, only to discover she no longer had a desire for them. The things she once pursued no longer tasted the same, smelled the same, or felt the same. She realized, “Oh, what a change had come over my life.” For nearly five decades, Edna Mae remained a faithful and devoted member of New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ. There she served diligently among the Deaconess Wives and was later licensed as a Missionary in the Church of God in Christ. If the church doors were open, Edna Mae would be there. Whether attending 5 a.m. prayer or Saturday noonday prayer, you would find her in service with children in tow. Over the years, she could always be found doing
whatever her hands found to do, whether supporting Vacation Bible School, assisting the work of ministry, serving others, or helping wherever she was needed. Above all else, Missionary Edna Mae Plummer loved God, loved her family, and lived a life marked by grace, holiness, quiet strength, and unwavering faith.

Her legacy will continue through the many lives she touched with wisdom, prayer, elegance, compassion, and unconditional love. She will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and eternally cherished.