William J Diamond Sr

Obituary Brother William Johne Diamond Sr., affectionately called “Dub/ Uncle Dub/Uncle Johne” was born on March 23, 1939 in Tyronza, Arkansas (formerly called Whitten) to the late, Olander “Boss” Diamond and Mary Eliza Burden Diamond. Dub was the third child born of eleven to this union. He was given the nickname “Dub” as a toddler by his late paternal grandfather, Charlie “PaPa” Diamond. His parents and four siblings, Charlie O. Diamond Sr., Robert Diamond Sr., Ola Maddox and Leroy Diamond all preceded him in death. As a child the family lived in Carson Lake, Arkansas where he attended Carson Lake Elementary. In 1946, they moved to West Hermondale (The Boothills of Missouri), Missouri where he attended St. Paul elementary school. In 1951, while living there in West Hermondale, a tornado struck their house and took off the top of their house, but God spared their lives. (“Tell the Lord Thank you”). At the age of 15, Dub was baptized in 1955 at Shady Grove Baptist church there in Hermondale. Finally, in 1959 their family moved to Blytheville, Arkansas where he briefly attended Harrison High School. Due to the hard times there in the south and their growing family, Dub had to drop out of high school in the 9th grade in order to help his family. He went to work on Mr. Billy Joe’s Farm there in Blytheville, where he worked until he left town in 1966. On December 15, 1961, in a small house, he married the beautiful Beatrice Bernice Allen. After continuing to live in Blytheville for 5 years, they and their good friends, Henry and Mary Tyler decided to move to the bright lights in Kansas City, Missouri. They arrived in Kansas City, Missouri on Labor Day weekend 1966. The couples quickly united with the Faith Mission Church under the pastorate of the late Elder Hubert Lambert Sr. They had heard about all of the miracles and powerful preaching happening at this church. On April 22, 1972 Dub’s life would change forever. His wife had invited him to come to church to see how God had saved his sister “Ola”. Dub accepted the invitation and came to that “sanctified church”, service as he would say on that night. Before the end of the service, the anointing of God would knock him on the floor and roll him, roll him and roll him. He got up praising the Lord and declaring these famous words “HE GOT ME”. He knew that God had saved him from a life of smoking, drinking, running the streets and more. A Wonderful Change had come over him. He always told his testimony of how he got “Born Again”, as he would say, “He got that Second Birth”. He was not ashamed of his testimony of how God saved him and how God had kept him from that old lifestyle for these 47 years. While attending this church he also experienced the miraculous power of God filling his teeth with white gold. Also, for about five years he and his wife had tried many times but was unable to have any children. But one service his wife asked this great man of God to pray for her that she would be able to have children. And through the prayer of faith, God blessed them with five surviving children, William Jr., LaTonia, LaWona, Cheikeitha and LaTochia, whom they dedicated back to the Lord. They also, had two beautiful daughters who died at birth. He was faithful to the church under the late Pastor Lambert Sr., until his death in 1991, under the late Willie Graham until his death in 2010 and under the current leadership of his daughter, Elder Cheikeitha Diamond. Brother Diamond served on the Deacon Board, cleaned the church and was a lover of Sunday School. Dub was a STRONG FAMILY man who enjoyed spending time with his family and creating family traditions like, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, watching the Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”, The History Channel, Cowboy westerns and so much more. He also enjoyed going rabbit hunting and showing his children how to clean the rabbits. Dub loved barbequing for his family all of the time, and especially on the holidays. He would barbeque in any weather condition rain, shine, sleet or snow. (smile) He would also, get up early on Saturday mornings and cook them a good breakfast. He enjoyed taking his family on trips and playing his favorite 8-track tape “The Mighty Clouds of Joy” all 500 plus miles there and back home. Lol. He took time and had fun with his children by playing games with them like, Atari Pac Man, Connect Four, Checkers, Trouble and Uno. He also enjoyed helping his children with their “school lesson” especially with their “times table’/ multiplications. He kept them active in church and he would study the Bible and Sunday School lesson at home with them. Every Sunday after church, he would take his children to Dairy Queen for some ice cream as a treat. Dub took pride in making sure he provided for his family. He always worked hard and worked overtime to make sure his family would be taken care of. He would get his weekly paycheck on Fridays and bring home Gates Barbeque, Sunkist pop and skins for his family. He rewarded his children with all of these treats but he also made sure he trained them to be hard workers and not to be lazy. He created and gave them job assignments around the house. He also, taught them how to make money by saving aluminum cans. He was determined not to raise any lazy children. Uncle Dub loved all of his family. He was definitely a leader in his family. He helped his parents raise his younger siblings. He also, was a mentor and father figure to many of his grandchildren, nieces, nephews and even in the community to the neighborhood kids. He would lend a helping hand to all of them whether if it was by letting them stay with him, working on their cars, moving them into their new apartments, giving them money, talking with them and giving them wise counsel. Uncle Dub had a BIG heart of compassion. If he could help you out in anyway, he certainly would. At work they called him Bill. (smile) he worked hard all of his life and kept an honest job to provide for his family. During the late 1960’s after he moved here to Kansas City, he worked at Auffenburg Motors, Brokis Fence and Independence Stove Company. In April of 1972, he was blessed to get hired at Allis Chalmers Gleaner Combine Plant in Independence, Missouri, where he worked until he retired on September 30, 2000. The company changed its name over the course of these years to Deutz-Allis and finally to its current name, AGCO. During the 1980’s he was laid off from the plant due to the budget cuts. But he never settled for just receiving unemployment checks. Bill knew he had a family to provide for, so he quickly found him a job at Wells Fargo Security Guard and Air Filter Sales and Service to support his family. After His retirement from AGCO, he went to work for Advance Auto Parts until his diagnoses of Parkinson’s Disease caused him to leave in 2014. Bill was a great employee who didn’t mind working overtime. In fact, he would work so much overtime that oftentimes at the end of the year he would have to sell his unused vacation time back to the company. (smile) In conclusion, Dub has left a legacy of what a Husband, Father, Grandfather, Leader and Servant of God look like. He was a devoted husband to his wife. He definitely fulfilled his marriage vows of taking care of her for better or worse, in sickness and in health until death did them part. He cared for his wife Beatrice for 44 ½ years even during her sickness of a stroke that left her paralyzed on one side. His wife preceded him in death on June 2, 2006. Brother William Johne Diamond Sr., departed this life early at 4:17 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at St. Luke’s Hospice House with his family by his side. He leaves to cherish 5 loving and devoted children; one son, William J. Diamond Jr. (Dana) of Grandview, MO., four daughters; LaTonia M. Nolen (Mark Sr.,) of Raytown, MO, LaWona D. Diamond, Cheikeitha Diamond and LaTochia D. Diamond of Lee’s Summit, MO; five grandchildren, DeAndre Diamond, of Kansas City, MO, Marchelle Nolen-Alverson (Charles) of Blues Springs, MO; Cierra Diamond of Blue Springs, MO; Mark Nolen Jr. of Kansas City, MO and Dominique Diamond of Grandview, MO; Five Great grandchildren; Malik and Serenity Alverson; Elijah Perkins, Makarie Nolen, Reyaun Jeremiah Perkins and one great grandson on the way “Malachi” Alverson; One Sister; Betsy Williams of Kansas City, MO; five brothers; Joseph J. Diamond Sr.(Mary) of Olathe, KS.; Ralph E. Diamond (Jackie) of Independence, MO; Ivory E. Diamond Sr., (Patricia), John Q. Diamond (Bobbie) and Jesse L. Diamond Sr. all of Blytheville, Arkansas. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. One special Brother-In-Law, Melvin J. Shaw of Chicago, Ill., several special Sister-In-Law’s; Arretta Allen, Rita, Geraldine, Jean, Gail, Bernice, and Marjadine. Three very special friends from down south, Henry & Mary Tyler and Mr. Kolee Parker To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William J Diamond Sr, please visit our floral store. Read More

William J Diamond Sr

March 23, 1939 - September 11, 2019