Zelma Stearne Batie was born August 12, 1935 to the parentage of Frank and Essie Mae Fagins Stearne in Dallas, Tx. She attended Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1952. She later attended Wiley College Extension Branch and later Dallas Baptist University. While at Wiley she met a handsome young man named Billy Cregg Batie, they married in 1959 and unto this union two children were born, Carmen Cregg and Susan Lynell. They enjoyed 54 years of marriage until he preceded her into death in 2013.
Zelma accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized from the New Hope Baptist Church under the late Rev. Maynard H. Jackson Sr. but later joined the Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Rev. C.B.T. Smith. She remained an active member in many activities under the leadership of Pastor Vincent T. Parker until her death.
She worked for the Texas Workforce Commission (formerly Texas Employment Commission) for 27 years and was the first African-American female to hold management and administrative positions in the State of Texas. She retired as Regional Director from the Fort Worth Regional Office in 1992.
After 4 months of retirement from TWC, she began working as the Administrative Assistant to Minister Vincent T. Parker in the Adult Rehabilitation Ministry from 1992 to 1999.
She then retired again and began traveling the world extensively with her daughter and niece and visited all the Continents except Antartica although she gave it serious consideration. Through it all God was her Navigator, Protector and Director. She recognized life as a gift from God and embraced life wholeheartedly.
Preceding her in death were her parents, Frank and Essie Mae Stearne, husband, Billy Cregg Batie; son, Carmen Cregg Batie; four sisters, Louise Fields, Lucille Fields, Annie Frank McCowan and Estherlene Johnson; two brothers, Jerrald W. Sternes and Carl Elliot Stearne. She leaves to the Grace of God Almighty, one cherished daughter Susan Lynell Batie-Gordon (Robert), grandson, Keba Camillus Batie (LaTosha), two bonus grandsons Marcus Stephen Gordon and Daylon Lamar Gordon, precious great-grandsons Tristan and Nicolas Batie and new bonus great-grandson Nash Gordon; her favorite niece, Kyle Stearne and a host of other caring nieces, nephews, cousins and many loving friends who know how to show love to the family. To God Be The Glory!!!