Reverend Marvella Travis

Marvella Louise Travis, was the eleventh of seventeen children of the late Howard

W. and Rena V. Elliott. She was born on November 22, 1934 in Cambridge,

Mayland. Marvella went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, February 11,

2021.

She was raised in Cordtown, Maryland and attended the public schools of

Dorchester County where she received her GED. Marvella also completed several

courses at Sojourner Douglas College.

Marvel, as she was affectionately called, faithfully served in the Dorchester

County Board of Education for thirty-one years. After retiring in 2000, because of

the love she had for helping children, she returned to the Dorchester County

Board of Education to continue making a difference in the lives of children.

On April 15, 1978, she was joined in Holy Matrimony to Kenneth E. Travis of

whom she loved dearly. They enjoyed thirty-seven years together.

In February 1965, Marvel gave her life to Christ. She faithfully served at Union

Chapel A.M.E. Church in Cordtown, Maryland where she wore many hats before

her health began to fail. She accepted the call into the ministry and preached her

trial sermon on January 18, 1998. She was ordained a local Deacon on March 18,

2000, under the leadership of Bishop Vinton Anderson. Her relationship with the

Lord continued to grow under the leadership of Rev. Kismat Alim. Hungry for the

Word, she enrolled in a structured course of Bible study at the Christian World

College of Theology in Salisbury, Maryland and received an Associate of Ministry

degree in 2001. She also received a Certificate in Christian Counseling there.

Marvel loved to sing and could sing. She was a member of several groups

including “The Renette Gospel Singers”, “The Fifty Voices of Cambridge”, “The

Cambridge Mass Choir”, “The Singing Angels”, “The Dorchester County Workshop

Choir” and was the only original member of “The Sunrise Singers of Cordtown”

still living. Prior to her departure, she was a member of the Gospel Choir of her

beloved Union Chapel A.M.E Church.

In her church, she was someone who could be depended and trusted to perform

at a high level, whatever task was assigned. Marvel was very talented and would

make sure that whatever she was asked to do would be done in a first class

manner even if she had to go the extra mile to make it happen; often selling

tickets to ensure that an event would be successful.

Prior to her health issues, she served on many Boards such as: Usher Board,

Steward Board, Finance Committee, Married Couple Ministry (President),

Pastor’s Aide, Sunday School Education Ministry, the Cemetery Committee and

the Missionary Society. Marvel, also, was an active member of the Ministerial

Staff of Union Chapel A.M.E. Church. She served as a member of the Good

Shepherds Association as the Program Organizer and the Harriett Tubman

Organization of Cambridge.

Marvel loved her family and loved to reminisce about “all” the good times they

had together. She loved it when they talked about how they grew up “poor” and

“needy”; being poor but not realizing it because of all the love they had for one

another. She would compare how they grew up, to how children of today “grow

up with everything.”

She would often have events at her home just to bring the family together and

remind them of the value of the family staying and praying together. Also, a point

of interest was talking about how important it was for the Elliott family to show

love to each other and to those who were less fortunate than her family. These

kind of rules were laid down by her father and mother, Howard and Rena.

Marvel often said that her favorite hymns were “I Must Tell Jesus” and “If I Can

Help Somebody.” Her favorite Scripture was Prov. 3”5-6, “5) Trust in the Lord with

all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. 6) In all thy ways

acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.”

Marvel tried to instill Christian values in her children and grand-children through

her words and deeds. She was relentless in her pursuit for them accepting Jesus

Christ as their Lord and Savior; often pleading with them to live a life of

“righteousness.”

Marvel was preceded in death by her parents, Howard W. and Rena V. Elliott; her

husband, Kenneth E. Travis; two daughters, Beverly A. Elliott and Vanessa A.

Jenkins; one son, Terrence L. Jenkins; 14 brothers and sisters; and several other

family members.

She leaves to mourn her loss: one son, Tyrome (Sandra) Elliott of Catonsville, Md.;

one daughter, Renako Randall of Baltimore, Md.; two brothers, Palestine (Mary)

Elliott of Odenton, Md.; Frederick (Constance) Elliott of Cambridge, Md.; nine

grand-children, Shonda Jenkins, Anika Jenkins, Rasheka Molock, Kian Randall,

Levone Ward, Cristi Carruthers, Kenneth Elliott, Lauren Elliott, and Ryan Elliott;

seventeen Great grand-children which includes JaBron Moore who “felt like my

own son”; one adopted daughter, Elsie Anderson; nine great- great grand

children; sixteen devoted nieces; eleven nephews and a host of cousins and

friends. She loved all of these dearly.

Lovingly Submitted,

The Family

Homegoing Services (Webinar):

February 21, 2020

Room opens at 2:45pm

Funeral starts promptly at 3pm

Link: http://bit.ly/2Nzbv3Y

Phone: (301) 715-8592

Webinar ID: 868 3247 5453

Funeral Reception (Regular Zoom Meeting):

February 21, 2020

Tentative start at 4:30pm (dependent on funeral)

Link: http://bit.ly/2ZqnlQJ

Phone: (301) 715-8592
Meeting ID: 882 9401 5663