A beautiful Celebration of Life was held for Pastor Helen Jean Akines Sunday, August 7th at the Greater Deliverance COGIC. Bishop Timothy O. Johnson officiated and delivered her eulogy. Mrs. Somer Moore was the mistress of ceremony and program participants were Rev. Larry Reed, Bishop Dexter Leflore, Mrs. Hope Lucious, and Evangelist Valarie Leflore. Several other family members and friends expressed their love and admiration for Pastor Akines. She was a beautiful person who graduated from Turner Chapel High School in 1972 and attended Jackson State University. After completing cosmetology school, she became an outstanding and accomplished licensed stylist, and worked in this field until she became ill.
Our prayers are with her family including her husband, Odee Akines; her mother, Mrs. Gladys Lofton; daughters, Fekesha “Rena” (Ronnie) Pierre, Melody Reed, and Sophia (Marcus) Michaels; her son, Reginald Reed; step-daughters Sally McGee, Minnie Hawthorne, Treshia Towner, and Shauntel Mathis; grands Ja’Varrion, Jalencia, Jakenzie, Ms’Karious, Dominic, Chancler, and Landen; and her siblings Earlene Jones, Linda Bender, Rebecca Ickom, Dorothy Cousin, Betty Gaines, and Vanessa Murphy.
We join others across the nation, especially basketball fans, in celebrating the life and legacy of Bill Russell, the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics. Russell, who died July 31 with his wife, Jeannine, by his side, was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a 12-time NBA All Star. He is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all times. Russell captained the gold-medal winning national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. This 2011 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient marched for civil rights with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and boycotted a game in Lexington, KY after his teammates were refused service at a hotel, because of their race. Following the assassination of Medgar Evers, he came Jackson and opened an integrated basketball camp. His legacy lives on, and our prayers are with his family.
Nichelle Nichols, who died of heart failure at age 89, became one of the first African American performers (and African American women) to play a central role in a major TV series when Star Trek debuted in 1966. She had an active role in America’s space mission and served as NASA’s ambassador for the recruitment of minorities and women. She inspired astronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison, the first African American in space. According to President Biden, she helped shape a world “where unity, dignity, and respect are cornerstones of every society.” Please keep her family in your prayers.
Please continue to remember our readers who are facing health challenges, namely, Bonnie Russell Hodge, Anthony “Pee Wee” Jones, LaToya McClendon and family, Gail Lee, Melba Dixon, Mary, Melissa and Mitch Nichols, Scott Mangum, London Thompson, Jean Bates, Cora Jones, Sidney Ellis, Don Bell, Barbara Gatewood, Lucy V. Moore, Lucille Flex, Braxton Kelley, Eunice Slaughter, Kitty Colbert, Viola Morgan, Laura Jackson, Roseann Lynn, Darryl McCurdy, Brandi Sharp, Buddy Ellis, Beverly Hollingsworth, Crystal Patterson, Tomi Reed Smith, and other readers who are facing health challenges.
Fr. Adolfo Suarez Pasillas and St Michael Catholic Church parishioners celebrated the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Times, and the subject of his homily was “Extraordinary Faith.” He referenced Abraham who was asked time and time again to live by faith. Abraham stepped forward in faith, and God brought things together. If God did this in Abraham’s life, surely God can and will do it in ours. We must only live by faith.
Lynch Chapel U. M. Church members enjoyed Sunday’s message, “The Choice is Yours.” Pastor Shirley Wilder shared her challenging and thought-provoking sermon and referenced Matthew 7:24-26.
On Friday and Saturday, the National Organization of Retired State Troopers 2019 (NORST) celebrated the integration of the MS Highway Safety Patrol (MHSP) where three Black Patrolmen graduated from the Academy June 18, 1972. The July 29th Friday celebration started at Tougaloo College where a NORST reception was held in honor of Constance Slaughter-Harvey, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, Morrow vs. Crisler, that resulted in the integration of the MHSP. Tougaloo College President Carmen Walters, and Retired Troopers R. O. Williams and Lewis Younger, who were in the first class of Black Troopers, acknowledged appreciation for Attorney Harvey. The third graduate, Walter Crosby, died in December 2021 and was represented by his family. On the following Saturday, a banquet was held at the Masonic Temple on Lynch Street in Jackson to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first integrated class of MS Highway Patrol, which included Williams, Younger and Crosby. The Constance Slaughter-Harvey Trailblazer Awards were presented to R. O. Williams, Lewis Younger, and Walter Crosby posthumously. Ashlie Smith accepted the Award on behalf of her uncle. Since the graduation of these three men, there have been three African American (AA) highway patrol chiefs, and out of 507 sworn state troopers, there are currently 193 AA men, three of whom are Lt. Colonels, three of whom are majors, nine of whom are captains, ten of whom are lieutenants, and 40 of whom are master sergeants. There are 12 AA women, 5 Hispanics, and one Asian.
Mrs. Ester Roberson’s 102nd birthday was celebrated Saturday, July 30th and she was hailed the “Lavender Queen” by her children and other family and friends. It was a very special and precious event. Happy birthday Queen Ester!
The Jones family enjoyed their Family Day Saturday when they gathered at the home of Vincent Jones. Their out-of-state relatives, Robert and family from VA, and Lidell and family from TX, joined in the family fellowship, food, and fun.
Congratulations to Patricia Odom and Abdullah Zaki on their wedding at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica! Immediate family members from MS who attended the wedding were her mother, Mrs. Patty Ward Odom, and sister Keisha Odom, along with cousins from other states and well wishers from Washington, D. C. The couple, Mr. and Mrs. Abdullah, will continue to reside in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations to Ms. Denceonna Bland on her graduation from East Central Community College with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education Technology. She received this degree upon her graduation August 4th. She is the daughter of Mrs. Patsy Strong Bland and the late Mr. Dennis Bland.
Happy birthday greetings to babies born between August 12th through the 17th, namely Marcus Johnson (12), Destiny Foster, Brandon Harris, Kathy Sanders, and Marqavious Bradford (13), Tony Sanders, Tammy Longmire and Ethan Hunt (14), Sandra Gallespy, Wanda Smith, Shirley Townsend, Shirley Wilson and Jatateous Washington (17).
Answer to Quiz Teaser # 681: The late Andrew L. (A.L.) Graves served 37 years as the Scott County Extension Agent. Mrs. Susie Jackson Boyd provided the correct response.
Quiz Teaser #682: Who were the first African American Highway Patrolmen assigned to Scott County?
