Seniors In Action

Springfield African-American Seniors

By Ruth B. Loving

I have had some very pleasant times recently making my heart sing with and for Springfield’s African-American Seniors. Annie R. Edge, chairperson, invited me to attend the Seniors’ Day 2003 Sunday morning services held on September 21, 2003 at Third Baptist Church. When I was ushered to my seat, I could see rows of seniors in their special Sunday beauty. During the special program presented for the seniors, the audience was told that there would be five awards and one special award given out.

The awardees were as follows:

Mrs. Phyllis Malone – wife, mother and member of Third Baptist Church. She has been a Sunday School Teacher, Superintendent of the Sunday School, served on the Annual Woman’s Committee, is a Life Member of the Carl Talbot Post 6187 – Ladies Auxiliary – American Legion Post and retired from the City of Springfield’s Assessors Office.

Mrs. Theodosia Porter – wife, mother of seven children, Sunday School Teacher. She visits sick and shut in members, is a Cub Scout Leader, member of the Birthday Club and the Never Fail Charity Club.

Mr. John Blackwell – husband, father of three sons and a 40-year church member. He has served as a Trustee and past Superintendent of Sunday School. Because of his deep concerns for his community, he has worked with the community organization COMAC which stands for (College-Oakgrove-Maynard-Acorn-Cortland Streets) and the Neighborhood Crime Watch. In order to stay active after his retirement, he served as a crossing guard for the Springfield Public Schools for 12 years.

Mrs. Josephine Fullilove –- wife of the late Reverend Dr. Paul A. Fullilove and a former teacher in the Springfield Public Schools, is known for her outstanding musical abilities. She was the founder and director of the Sanctuary Choir of the Third Baptist Church, the Children’s Choir and the Male Chorus. Mrs. Fullilove also served as a youth counselor, and she is presently serving as Minister of Music at the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ, in addition to being Music Director of the United Baptist Convention.

Mrs. Louvenia Smith – is a church member and was made a Deaconess in 1970 by the late Reverend Dr. Paul A. Fullilove. She has worked as a dietician and food service employee and shares a great concern for the college students in her community.

Mrs. Virginia Miller – is a 24-year member of Third Baptist Church and is the current Sunday School Superintendent. She worked at MassMutual Insurance Company for 26 years and is currently a school volunteer mentor in her community helping children and families.

It was a beautiful sight to see the several pews of seniors in their Sunday-go-to-meeting dresses and, of course, their designer hats, along with the handsome men in their dark dress-up suits. Some had their canes, walkers and a wheel chair or two. But the words from the program said it all, “Why do we care and honor our Seniors?”

Remember, honor is a way of expressing the sacredness in a human being. We honor them because we can see beyond the withered frame of the body, and see the human spirit still pure, pristine and beautiful and the contributions you have given to all of us. May God continue to bless each one of you as you continue to grow in grace…

Keeping in the same vein of honoring seniors, on Sunday, October 26, 2003 the Hospitality Ministry of Canaan Baptist Church of Christ presented their “Seniors Extravaganza” at Chez Josef. Pastor Rev. W.C. Watson, Jr., Ms. Willette Johnson, President of the Ministry, and Ms. Joyce Fields, Chairperson, presented a beautiful program, sponsored by local churches, that honored seniors. This is the eleventh year the event has been presented. The seniors and their church sponsors were Maurita (Hinson) Bledsoe and Janet (Troutman) Simmons, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church; Lilian Agatha Semple, Cathedral Of Praise Baptist Church; Archie Poon and Annie M. Jones-Mells, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church; Mary L. Hines and Esther Bea Patterson, Mt. Zion Baptist Church; Lois Maxine Hall, St. Johns Congregational Church; Pinkie Marie Clarke, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, West Springfield; Annie Mae (Stovall) Moore and Marion T. King, Canaan Baptist Church of Christ.

Each of these seniors was presented awards from their churches, Representative Benjamin Swan, State Senator Linda Melconian and the City of Springfield. Throughout the evening, we listened to beautiful music played by Mrs. Josephine Fullilove of Third Baptist Church, who once again contributed to a memorable evening and to beautiful memories for Springfield’s African-American Seniors.n