Church and family members and friends paid their final respects to Trinidadian Marva Sobers, affectionately called “Marvelous Marva,” at a funeral service at Fenimore Street United Methodist (FSUMC) in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 2.
Sobers was a former active and devoted FSUMC member before moving to Dallas, Texas in summer of 2011 to join her only child, Karla Joseph. She was 88.
Mourners jammed the pews at the 136-year-old FSUMC, at the corner of Fenimore Street and Rogers Avenue, where they paid tribute to Sobers in song, Scripture, speech, steel pan music, and drums. Sobers had faithfully served in several capacities at FSUMC.
She had served as president of the Gospel Choir, and was a member of, among others, the Wedding, Altar Guild/Communion Steward, and Family Life committees.
Sobers had also lent her voice to the renowned chorus group, God’s Rainbow.
After relocating to Texas, family members said Sobers continued her commitment to service as a contributing member of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church.
In her eulogy, Karla said when her mom entered a room, she made “an impression.”
“She left her mark wherever she went, and usually she made sure you remembered it,” she said, stating that her mom was also “outspoken and unfiltered.”
“She would absolutely tell you what she thought, whether you asked or not — especially if you didn’t ask,” Karla added.
She said Sobers had a gift for conversation.
“She could talk to anyone, anywhere, at any time,” Karla said. “On the phone, in a line, at the store — you were leaving that interaction knowing more than you expected, whether you planned to or not.”
She said her mom’s years in working at the telecommunications giant AT&T brought her “a sense of pride.”
Karla said Sobers also loved God, gospel music, and giving praise.
“She equally loved to dance and would throw down a whine anywhere, which is the thing I think we will all remember the most,” she said. “We have run through countless stories of her breaking out in dance and complaining about how everything is hurting after. But those short legs could move.”
In addition, Karla said her mother also loved to dress.
“She took pride in how she presented herself,” she said. “My mother believed in looking good — no exceptions.
“My mother was strong, vibrant, complicated, and unforgettable,” she continued. “She loved deeply, lived boldly, and gave us stories we will carry for the rest of our lives.”
Marlene Ferguson, Sobers’s last sister, who chairs FSUMC’s Family Life Committee, said Sobers was preceded in death by her brother, Glenford Sobers, who died on April 7, 2026.
“These two siblings shared their life on earth united in unconditional love for each other,” Ferguson said. “Therefore, God saw it fit to keep them united for their journey into the heavenly Kingdom.”
“Marva lived through and was affected by so many historical milestones,” she added, stating that some included World War II (1945); the Independence of Trinidad and Tobago (1962); the end of the Civil Rights era (late 1960s); 9/11 (2001); the election of the first African American President of the US, Barack Obama, (2008), “and the many advancements in technology.”
“Her years working as an operator at AT&T gave her a front seat to communication advancements, and Marva definitely enjoyed using her Alexa smart home device,” Ferguson continued.
While Sobers learned “lifelong skills” such as baking, sewing, cooking traditional meals (pelau, macaroni pie, potato salad and fish-cake), Ferguson said her specialty was hair styling.
“So, for all family occasions, she did the hair and styled to perfection,” Ferguson said. “She was the beautician for all the little girls in the village, who would gather at the house for braids in preparation for school.”
In addition, she said Sobers was a “skilled” stenographer, and that “music was in her DNA.”
“Marva will sing and dance to calypso and gospel music,” said Ferguson, disclosing that her sister was also “an avid follower” of Joey Lewis, Sel Duncan, and Gemini Brass bands, “who had the traditional dance parties, and the attire was coordinated with specific colors for attendance — pink rose, white rose or red rose.”
She said Sobers’ “dress sense was second to none.”
“Following her mother’s footsteps (Eliza Sobers), Marva always dressed with superb class,” Ferguson said. “Order was her motto, punctuality and decisiveness were standards Marva maintained throughout her life. Marva was unique, distinct and unapologetic.”
According to the obituary, Sobers was born on Nov. 10, 1937, in Carapichaima, Trinidad, to Eliza and James Sobers.
“As the eldest of eight children, she forged a path all her own, becoming a true trailblazer, as she journeyed beyond her roots to build a life in London and later the United States,” it says.
“Marva was a vibrant and unforgettable presence — opinionated, passionate, and headstrong, yet deeply giving and nurturing with a firm but loving heart,” it adds. “She never met a stranger and loved without limits, always ready to extend a helping hand to family and friends.
“Her greatest joy was found in her role as a devoted mother to her daughter, and a proud and adoring grandmother,” it continues. “She found joy in knitting and crocheting, watching game shows, listening to gospel music, dancing, cheering enthusiastically at sporting events, and going on outings with her senior friends.
“She treasured reminiscing about cherished memories and had a remarkable gift for storytelling that captivated everyone who listened,” it says.
Besides Karla and Marlene, Sobers is survived by her grandchildren, Kalir, Khayla and Kaaliyah; her great-grandchild, Ezekiel; and her brother, Medford Sobers.
Marva Sober’s body was interred immediately after the funeral service at Canarsie Cemetery in Brooklyn.
