TRIBUTE FOR 90+ YEARS

Transcription

1 Immanuel Temple SDA Church TRIBUTE FOR 90+ YEARS 2014 OUR SENIORS L i l l i e W e b b C a m p M a r i o n F u l l e r G e n e v a J a c o b s H a t t i e L o u i s e M c K e n z i e J a m e s T h o m a s P e a c e 2102 So. Alston Ave Durham, NC Immanueltemplechurch.com

2 Lillie Webb Camp 95 Years Old! Sister Camp was born August 29, 1918, to Mr. Reddick Webb, Sr. and Mrs. Glennie Edge Webb, in Wilson County, North Carolina. She was the oldest of 12 siblings, and one adopted sister. During the early years of Sister Camp s life, she worked in cotton and tobacco fields. The work was very hard and Sister Camp longed for a better life. She wanted an education and status. She eventually moved to New York City. She worked as a cleaning lady and scrubbed floors for.50 cents a day. She worked hard and traveled from place to place, saving nickels and dimes in a small leather purse. She married Grover Camp. Her desire for wealth led her and her brother William to purchase a home in Amityville, Long Island, New York. During the 1950 s, several of her siblings began migrating to the Bronx and Brooklyn, and then relocated to Sis. Camp s home to plant a strong financial beginning for their families. Sister Camp eventually started working as a maid in Bar Harbor, Massapequa s Jewish community. She purchased a station wagon to organize several women and transport them to Bar Harbor as maids. This was her first small business. Although she lacked a formal education, working in Bar Harbor opened many doors for her and she began working on her elementary education. During the late 1960 s, she was reintroduced to Ellen G. White s writings by Elder Morris Brown, Sr. Later she was baptized into the Adventist Message, and joined Bethesda SDA Church of Amityville, N.Y. She became an energetic leader and served as Head Deaconess for many years. She trained many women to meticulously clean the sanctuary, 2

3 cooked for families in need, and was well known for demonstrating How to fold the Communion Table Cloth. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, she said. She was also a creative Sabbath School Teacher who faithfully cut out arts and crafts to demonstrate every lesson. Every week the children returned home with an image that illustrated the lesson. She received numerous awards for her faithful service. Sister Camp studied at the local high school to prepare for the GED test. During this time (the early 1970 s) she decided to expand her home to house Military Veterans. This was her second small business venture. However, in 1975, she lost her first sibling, and decided to return home to North Carolina to be near her mother, who eventually died in Sister Camp continued to pursue an education and graduated from Durham Technological Community College with her completed GED, at the age of 69. Sister Camp joined the Immanuel Temple SDA Church in Durham and continued serving the Lord. She became Director of Vacation Bible School and welcomed a host of children from both the church and community. She was also an active Deaconess, until her senior years when she quietly served at home by washing the towels for each Communion Service. Sister Camp established the very successful Camp Family Home Care business. Because of her success, she was featured in the book, Rainbow Roun Mah Shoulder, by Linda Brown Braggs, In addition, in 2007, her story was published in the book, Historical Single Woman Building an Entrepreneurship, in the City of Durham. She was listed as one of the first black women to establish a self-made business on E. Main St. As an entrepreneur, she also was able to acquire four homes to help other families in the community. She also continued to serve the community by using her fleet of cars to help feed people in her neighborhood. God has blessed Sister Camp with the wealth and prosperity she worked hard for. She turned in her driver s license at the age 88. The following year she retired to enjoy the fruits of her prosperous life. She prided herself on being a Self-made wealthy woman. 3

4 Sister Camp s favorites: Song: We Are Marching To Zion Phrase: Low and Humble is the Way Text: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14 4

5 Marion Fuller 94 Years Old! Sister Fuller was born March 1, 1920, in Philadelphia, P.A. to Savage Wallace Hayes and Lilly Trice Hayes. She had one brother, Nathaniel Hayes. Her mother died when she was one year old. Her father moved her and her brother to Durham, N.C. where they buried their mother. Sister Fuller was raised by 2 great aunts, Flora McCauley and Janie Walker. Sister Fuller and her brother lived with their Great aunt Flora McCauley and her husband Giles McCauley. They joined the Second Baptist Church (now First Calvary Baptist) on Morehead Street in Durham, N.C. Sister Fuller met her husband, Joseph Fuller in Durham. They married in They had one son, Nathaniel Fuller. Nathaniel lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. and is 72 years old. Sister Fuller joined the Adventist Church in the latter part of 1950, during a tent effort under the leadership of JP Morgan. Her husband, Joseph, died in Sister Fuller was active in the church. She served as a Deaconess, and sang for many years with the Sanctuary Choir. She loves passing out tracts and witnessing for the Lord. She resides at Eno Pointe Assisted Living in Durham, N.C. Sister Fuller loves having visitors and often sings to them, and with them. If you give her your phone number, she ll call you. 5

6 Geneva Jacobs 90 Years Old! Sister Jacobs was born August 6, 1923, in Durham, N.C. She had five sisters and 3 brothers. Her mother joined the Adventist Church when Sister Jacobs was four years old. She was baptized at 12 years old. She received a wonderful Christian education in Adventist schools from the second through the eighth grades. She attended Hillside High School in Durham, N.C. Sister Jacobs met and married George Jacobs in They were blessed with two children, Ronald and Mercedes. While George Jacobs served in the Army, she pursued her dream of becoming a hair dresser. She graduated from Beauty School in Sister Jacobs moved to New York City in She continued pursuing her dreams and became a licensed mental health assistant. From 1972 until 1997, she owned and managed a group home. She retired in 1997 and returned home to Durham, N.C. Sister Jacobs enjoys her family. She has been blessed with three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is very independent. She has retained her driver s license and continues to drive her van to church and anywhere else she wants to go. 6

7 Hattie Louise McKenzie 94 Years Old! Sister McKenzie was born October 19, 1919, in Charlotte, N.C., to Emma Springs and Arthur Samuel Thomas Monroe Wallace. Her mother died when she was 3 years old and she was raised by her father. She contracted polio at the age of 10 and was unable to walk for several months. Her doctor told her she would not live long, so she prayed and promised God that she would serve him for the rest of her life, if he let her live and walk. God answered her prayer, but tremors and left side weakness are constant reminders of her ordeal. Her father remarried when she was 16 years old. She had two brothers, two step brothers and two step sisters. Sister McKenzie graduated from the Second Ward High School in In 1939 she met her next door neighbor, Lawrence McKenzie, whom she married in February, 1941 in South Carolina. Her husband worked at a restaurant. They paid rent, bought furniture and groceries on his salary of $5.00 per week. In 1941 their first child was born, Gloria McKenzie Moore. She had two more children: Lawrence McKenzie II in 1943, and Eleanor McKenzie Collins in Sister McKenzie joined Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church in Charlotte, N.C. in She was a faithful member and served in several capacities: Treasurer, Choir director, Vacation Bible School Director and Sabbath School Superintendent. 7

8 Music was Sister McKenzie s passion, and she took voice lessons and learned to play the piano. She also taught piano. One of her favorite songs is If I Can Help Somebody. Eventually Sister McKenzie attended Piedmont Community College and completed the LPN program. She worked as a nurse for several institutions. Sister McKenzie believes she has led a full life and has done everything that she wanted to do. She is thankful that God has blessed her with a great life!! 8

9 James Thomas Peace 93 Years Old! Brother Peace was born April 30, 1921 to Sally Peace in a small community in Durham, N.C., called Lyon s Hill. He has one sister, Ms. Ada Peace. James was married to Margaret Bridges Peace for 61 years. They were blessed with seven children: Thomas, Larry, Clement, Cheryl, Dwight, Juaneza and Marva. Brother Peace joined the Immanuel Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1950, and attended the church for many years. He re-dedicated his life to Christ and was baptized July 9, Since then, Brother Peace has been a faithful Community Services worker. Brother Peace s first job was at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C. He also worked at Camp Butner in Butner, N.C. as a water boy, and at Home Organization Supply Company, until the company went out of business. Brother Peace is a self-taught painter and has held numerous professional painting jobs. He worked for several contractors and Massey Paint Company in Durham. After Massey, he worked for Johnson brothers for many years. He retired from his painting position at North Carolina Central University after 17 years of service, in He is known as the Best Painter in Durham from his generation of painters. Brother Peace is a man of many talents and is very dependable and always willing to work when called upon. He is very talented and excels at painting, wood carving, and refurbishing antiques. He is known as the 9

10 Fix-It-Man. He loves being outdoors and can usually be found outside fixing or building something. He believes that whatever the job-do it right the first time so you will not have to do it again. Brother Peace has made many friends over the years that are too numerous to name; however, his two best friends are Mr. Joe Davis and Mr. Otis Harris. Ms. Stella Green is also a close friend. Mr. Davis often describes Brother Peace as a Miracle Man because he s able to walk three to four miles almost every morning, works regularly with Community Services, and continues as the Fix-It-Man. Brother Peace and his two best friends often sit on his porch and watch the trains and cars pass by while they talk about the good old days. Brother Peace often says that the good Lord has blessed him with good health and a sound mind for all of his 92 years. 10

11 Acknowledgements We are grateful to the families of our seniors for providing biographical information. We would also like to thank Carlos Hedgepeth for taking photographs of Marion Fuller, Geneva Jacobs, Hattie McKenzie and James Peace. Immanuel Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church Twilighters 11