We are sorry to learn of the death of Mrs. Lois Jean Viverette Smith who passed Friday, December 8th at Lackey Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Smith, the widow of Herman Smith, was a long time Jones Street resident. She was a 1952 graduate of E. T. Hawkins High School where she was class valedictorian and secretary. Mrs. Smith was one of the first African American Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) in Forest. Our prayers are with her family especially her brother, A. J. Viverette, and nieces Janet Williams and Ethel Denise Thomas, and nephews, Larry, Gregory, James Nicks. W. F. Mapp Funeral Home has been entrusted with her final arrangements.
Our prayers are with the family of Mrs. Mildred Stowers who passed Thursday, December 6th. Mrs. Stowers, a graduate of Harmony High School and member of the Harmony basketball team, provided Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) services to Lackey Convalescent Home residents for 35 years, after working as North Scott High School nutrition assistant. Please remember her family in your prayers especially her children, Wade (Rebecca), Darrell (Cassandra), and Tonya. Memorial arrangements are incomplete, and Evans Memorial Funeral Home has been entrusted with final arrangements.
Our prayers are with the family of Mrs. Bertha “Nancy” White Hughes, especially her husband, Wilson “Roundhead” Hughes. Her Memorial Services will be held Saturday, January 15th at 11:00 a.m. at W. F. Mapp Funeral Home Chapel. Please keep her family in your prayers.
A beautiful Celebration of Life for Mrs. Bridgette Coleman Sampson was held Saturday, January 8th at New Mt. Calvary M. B. Church in Lake. Apostle Robert Johnson officiated and delivered her eulogy. Ms. Tonya Lewis was the mistress of ceremony and other program participants were Ruby Luckett, Brodrick Evans, and Rosie Thrasher. Please keep her family in your prayers, especially her husband, Larry Sampson, son, Jalen Coleman, parents, Joyce Spivey and David Evans, sister Tracia (Donald) Carter, and niece Jericka Mayers.
We are sorry to learn of the January 8th transition of Harvard Professor of Law Lani Guinier who was the first African American female appointed to a tenured professorship there. This Yale Law School graduate previously headed the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Voting Rights Project. She was the author of “Tyranny of the Majority: Fundamental Fairness in Representative Democracy,” which discussed ways to remedy racial discrimination. Our prayers are with the family of this “scholar of uncompromising brilliance.
We join family, friends, and fans of Sidney Poitier who died Friday, December 7th at the age of 94. He was a movie icon who broke the color barrier in movies, television, and stage plays. For more than 70 years, he performed in many, many movies, plays and television shows. We will remember his roles in The Defiant Ones, Lilies of the Field, A Raisin in the Sun, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, To Sir with Love, and his television role as “Mr. Tibbs” in “In the Heat of the Night” with Rod Steiger. He received an Oscar, Grammy, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. What a remarkable, courageous, and excellent actor and humanitarian!
Please remember our readers in your prayers, including, Legacy Change Agent (LCA) Beverly Hollingsworth as she experiences health challenges; John Lee Evans who has returned to Lackey Hospital; Pee Wee Jones who has been released from UMMC; LCA LaToya McClendon, Iris O’Neal Gray, LCA Viola Morgan, Gail Lee, Flo Chambers, Lamar Gatewood, LCA Change Agent Bonnie Russell Hodge, Tommy Joe Wash, LCA London Thompson, Mitch and Mary Nichols, and other readers who are experiencing health challenges.
Sunday was the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and it marked the end of the Christmas season. Delivering the homily was Fr. Nick Adams from the Jackson Catholic Diocese who shared the message in the absence of Fr. Adolfo Pasillas. Christ came to bring justice to the nation and in so doing, he reminded us that sin is injustice. God promises He will bless us with freedom, and that Jesus is the light of the nation. He posed questions. Are we active and open to the fuels of the Word? Is God our teacher? What does God want from me? Let Jesus be the teacher…don’t be the teacher yourself!
Little Rock M. B. Church sermon theme was “Kneel and Deal,” and the scriptures referenced were Psalm 24:3-5, and Philippians 4:5-6. Pastor Sheldon Thomas shared this message when he delivered his sermon. Anxiety has plagued our nation, families, and churches. It damages us spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Many times, we say “out of sight, out of mind.” Our character can have issues, but we cover them up instead of brining them before God. We overcome and deal with anxiety through the Peace of God. When you don’t even understand what you are going through, the Peace of God gives you strength to deal. We must be mindful and continue to be thankful. When we pray, we must clean our hands by seeking repentance and forgiveness so that God can hear us. FESS UP TO YOUR MESS UPS because God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Anxiety blinds us of God’s promises that He made a long time ago.
We encourage our readers to exercise caution as we interact with others, and in so doing, we can stamp out COVID-19 variants, including Omicron which is expected to bring a surge of COVID-19 in the coming days to weeks to months. Let’s continue to mask up, use sanitizer, and observe the social distance CDC suggestion.
The 25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Walk sponsored by Legacy Education and Community Empowerment Foundation and W.L./Olivia Slaughter Memorial Library has been cancelled out of caution because of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. The initial plans to sponsor an Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Car Caravan instead of the Walk were likewise cancelled for safety concerns. During the traditional 8:00 – 9:00 Walk, we are encouraging our readers to pause and reflect on the life of Dr. King and other leaders and participants in the Civil Rights Movement. We honor those whose works and sacrifices have not been recognized and recorded in history.
Happy Birthday greetings to babies born between January 11th and January 18th, namely, Dorothy Strong, Chris Evans, and Greg Burks (12), Michael Holifield and Maurice Harkless (14), Kimberly Johnson (15), Sid Salter, Rosie Thomas Barrett, Samuel Barnes, and Renee McLemore (16), Rickey Hoye (17), and Nettie Ware, Parris Ringo, Nicholas Haralson, and Elmer Lowery (18).
Answer to Quiz Teaser # 652: The 1966 Candlestick Park Tornado caused devastating damage to the North Scott High School community and very little damage was done to the actual building. Congratulations to Dr. Cheryl Slaughter Ellis of Murfreesboro, TN who provided the correct response.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Quiz Teaser # 653: In which Mississippi town did the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tell the overflow audience that the Poor People’s March participants were going to Washington to demand improvement in the lives of poor people?
