Carla Mentlow

Reflections of a Life Well Lived
Carla Mischelle Mentlow was a woman of God who dedicated herself to service, especially helping children. As a very young girl she always sought out the children that the others shunned and befriended them. She was born March 17, 1965 (St. Patrick’s Day) to James Mentlow (Sr) and Vivian Mentlow both deceased. Early on she displayed a talent and propensity for writing, penning her first poem Wonder Books at the age of 9. After this came her true passion in life, her Lord and Savior Jesus The Christ. She accepted Christ and was baptized around the age of 11 at the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church where she worshipped and served for the next 42 years until her death. Serving two tenures as Youth Director, working in the Missionary Society, Youth Choir, Vacation Bible School, Intercessory prayer, Cincinnati Baptist district Association and a host of other service pursuits. She pursued her passion for writing at the School for Creative and Performing Arts majoring in Creative Writing and Orchestra, playing the clarinet. After graduation she initially attended Ohio University in Athens, majoring in Journalism, but soon realized that, although writing was a great skill, her true passion was children. She pursued this passion at the University of Cincinnati in Psychology! After graduation, she held jobs in Child Day Care and Child Advocacy, directed Lydia’s House, a private social services agency and ministry for children of parents with HIV and completed her career of child advocacy as a Mental Health Therapist with Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services.
Carla was a woman of character and dedication and an exuberant worshipper, who loved the Word of God, especially coming from her two preaching brothers! Her motto for living, based on her inexhaustible faith in and reliance on God, was “it’s gonna be alright”! She will be greatly missed as she left an indelible mark on all those she touched!
On July 8, 2018, Carla Mischelle Mentlow completed her great race and transitioned from earth to glory and into the waiting arms of The Lord! She leaves behind to remember her life: two loving brothers, Rev. James H. Mentlow Jr (Jun) and Ali Khan Al-Mustakeem; a sister, by way of selection of The Lord, Regina Benton; two nephews, Anthony and Courtney Thatcher; a niece Koree Thatcher; a grand niece Amari Danae Thatcher; an aunt, Helen Bush; 21 first cousin/brothers and sisters; 5 second cousins and a host of other relatives, surrogate children, fellow workers in Christ, colleagues, coworkers and friends.