Ms. Candis LeVerne Black, age 56, of Kernersville, NC, transitioned to her eternal home by way of a peaceful slumber on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at her residence. She was born on February 17, 1964 in High Point, North Carolina to Walter and Jacqueline Black. From childhood, she was a member of Goler Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church and later attended Turning Point Church.

Candis resided in Winston Salem for most her life, attending the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, and graduating from East Forsyth Senior High School in 1982, where she was Vice President of the student body and homecoming queen. During this time, Candis earned her lifeguard certification and worked for the city of Winston-Salem Department of Recreation for many years.

Candis furthered her education at Winston Salem State University, earning a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology, where she was a leading contributor of Project Strengthen, encouraging the enrollment and participation of minorities in medicine and the sciences. In conjunction with this ongoing project, she traveled to Ito, Japan to present at the Symposium of the Endoreticulothelial Society and, later, Hong Kong, China as the only undergraduate research team to present research findings, working under the direct instruction of Dr. Wilveria Bass Atkinson. The research presented at this symposium has led to numerous breakthroughs in current cancer research and therapies.

Upon graduation, Candis enrolled at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, later electing to return to Winston-Salem State as an instructor in the Biology Department. In 1987, she was awarded a certificate of merit, presented by the American Red Cross and signed by President Ronald Reagan, for "selfless and humane actions in saving a human life".

Candis is survived by her two children, Olen McKinley Black and Ms. Amira Dorian Watson of Kernersville, North Carolina; parents, Walter and Jacqueline Black of Kernersville, NC; one sister, Dr. Jacquese O. Black of Winston-Salem, NC; brothers, Walter B. Black, III (Tanja) of Winston-Salem, NC and Dr. Perrin J. Black (Sophia) of Kernersville, NC; two nephews, Perrin J. Black, II and Jai P. Black; aunt, Beverly Sellars (Tony) of Winston-Salem, NC; uncle, Donald Ray McCummings (Linda) of Walkertown, NC; devoted cousins, Dr. Jeff Underwood (Sara) and Dr. Perrin Underwood of Montgomery, AL and Ms. LeVerne Brown of Winston-Salem, NC; along with a host of relatives, friends, and loved ones, including the McCummings, Lipscomb, McIntyre, and Woodruff families.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00pm Monday, March 9, 2020 at the Russell Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Richard Karl Watts officiating.  Interment will follow in Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. The family visitation will be held from 12noon until 1:00pm on Monday at the Chapel.

The family would also like to thank Maria C. Sam, M.D., a specialist in neurology, epilepsy, and sleep medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, for her treatment of Candis throughout the years.