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Category: LIFE EVENTS

Father George Harold Clements, Beloved Family Priest to be Memorialized in Chicago This Sunday

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Father George Harold Clements

This week many of us are making final preparations to travel to Chicago, Illinois to be part of the Memorial Service planned for our beloved family priest Father George Harold Clements.

Despite the scores of prayers of family members and friends all across the country, in humble submission to the perfect will of God, Father Clements passed away on November 25, 2019 in Chicago, IL.

Nationally celebrated for his role as a beloved Pastor, visionary leader in the Catholic Church, trendsetter, change agent, Civil Rights Activist and Community Father, OUR FAMILY will gather on January 26, in Chicago, not only to pay our respects to the phenomenon that he was, but to celebrate someone we hold very near and dear, by virtue of kinship, shared family heritage, shared family values, and plain and simply put — love.

For us, Father Clements was much more than an “Iconic Priest” or a Celebrity. He is a man with whom we share blood relationship — hence we have been afforded many precious and rare opportunities to fellowship and commune with him in private settings, family outings, festive family gatherings and experience his witness as one who demonstrated a very deep and abiding love and appreciation for who he was, from whence he came, and witness his determination to maintain the strong family ties that bind us together.

Although he has reunited with our ancestors we cherish the opportunity to come together one more time to remember those many special moments in time we shared with him over the years.

The Memorial Service will be held at the St. Sabina Catholic Church, 1210 West 78th Place, Chicago, IL 60620, on Sunday, January 26, 2020 — Father’s birthday. The time is 2:00 pm.

Very detailed information about the upcoming memorial for Father Clements can be obtained on the Peters-Clements-Gazaway family facebook page at the following link. Please visit this link for travel information, hotel information, and a flier detailing the upcoming event .

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John H. Smith, Jr. Passes

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The Calvary family extends our love and sympathy to the family of John H. Smith, Jr., 89, who passed away peacefully early in the morning on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at home in Aurora, Colorado.  

John was born March 27, 1930 in Selma, Alabama, to John H. Smith, Sr and Willie Mae (Harrison) Smith. He was a 1948 graduate of R.B. Hudson High School (formerly Knox Academy) and a 1953 graduate of Tuskegee University (formerly Tuskegee Institute). On May 17, 1953, John was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and married Mildred Hall at Tuskegee Institute. John retired as a Colonel from the USAF in November 1978.

While serving in the USAF, John received his B.S. in Business Administration Degree from the University of Alaska in 1959, an M.B.A. from West Texas State University in 1970, and another Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Northern Colorado in 1972.

After retiring from the USAF, John was employed by Mountain Bell/U S WEST Communications (currently CenturyLink) beginning in 1978 and retired in 1992 where he held positions in Records Management, Procurement Auditing and Government and Education Sales. During his military and Telecommunications careers he taught a variety of classes at various institutions at the college level including University of Philippines, Metropolitan State University, University of Colorado at Denver, and Community College of Denver.

John was also active in the communities in which he lived. He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church since 1970 and served on the Human Resources Committee and also as President and Travel Tour Director for the “Modern Matures” Ministry. He served as Chairman of the Board of Northeast Denver Housing Center, Basileus and Keeper of Finance for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity with over 60 years as a member, and a member of the Tuskegee Airman, Inc., Hubert L. “Hooks” Jones Chapter (where he served a Chapter President for over ten years and as Chapter Treasurer for about seven years).

John is survived by his loving wife, Mildred; his children, Cassandra Denise (Michael G.) Williams, Regina Persephony Smith, Michael Jonathan (Gina) Smith and Kenneth Bernard Smith; grandchildren, Matthew Alan Smith, Marcus Aaron (Carly E.) Smith and Jessica Ashley Smith; great grandchild Aubrey Belle Smith; sisters, Juanita (Leroy) Phillips, Marvarene (Thomas-deceased) Parker, Alma Jean Brazier, Dorothy Smith and several nieces, nephews and grands.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. at Caldwell-Kirk Funeral & Cremation Services (2101 N. Marion Street Denver, CO 80205).   A Memorial Service to celebrate John’s life will be held on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary at Calvary Baptist Church of Denver (6500 E. Girard Ave. Denver, CO 80224). A Reception will follow in Fellowship Hall.

An Interment Service (Burial) with Military Honors will be held on Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 11:15 a.m. at Staging Area B at Fort Logan National Cemetery (3698 S Sheridan Blvd, Denver, CO 80235).

In lieu of flowers, Memorial Gifts in John’s honor may be given to:
Calvary Baptist Church of Denver

On August 25, 2019, we lost Retired Lt. Col. John H. Smith — another beloved member of our family from the Sweed Peters branch of the Peters lineage. The following is a memorial tribute that was prepared during the period following John’s passing. Our deepest sympathy is extended to his wife, Mildred, with our sincere prayers.

  • give online in honor of John here (choose “Memorial Gift” and type “John H. Smith, Jr.” in the memo line)
  • give by mail in honor of John: Calvary Baptist Church of Denver, 6500 E. Girard Ave., Denver, CO 80224 (write “John H. Smith, Jr. Memorial Fund” in memo line of check)
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The Passing of James Edna Peters Wells

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James-Edna-Peters-Wellsby Charlotte A. Clark-Frieson

On February 20, 2015, my son and I had the honor of attending the funeral service for Mrs. James Edna Peters Wells in Bimingham, Alabama.   The service was at 6th Avenue Baptist Church, 1101 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Southwest, Birmingham, Alabama 35211.  Dr. John Cantelow, III, Pastor.

It was a lovely service, and again, all the familiar faces in the Peters family genealogy were there.  My son, Sherard went with me to the service, and this was his first exposure to the Peters family.  I was very glad that he had a chance to go.  But, this was nothing like family reunion gatherings, which are HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY TIMES.   This was a very sad day.  My heart broke for Rosalyn, who I could tell was devastated.  This was a very familiar emotion, and took me back to my own mother’s passing.

Mrs. Wells death was another opportunity for me to pay my utmost respect to another one of our matriarchs, in so many ways, very similar to my own mother.  Another one of those who showed us the way.  She, too like my mother, an educator, who both rose above (what must have been) dispicable racial and social conditions to persevere and obtain a higher education… determined to make a difference in the world.  Reading her obituary gave me yet another glimpse into the rich and vibrant history of this amazing family.

James Edna Peters Wells Funeral Program

 

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