James Gildersleeve

James Gildersleeve, 86, of Selma, died on Thursday, June 17, 2004 at a long-term care facility in Montgomery, AL.

Services will be held on Monday, June 28, 2004 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church of Selma with Rev. Steven Washington officiating and Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Gildersleeve was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife, Lundy; parents; seven brothers, Alphonso, Phillip, Albert, Lee Dell, Booker T., Charlie George, and an unnamed brother that passed two weeks after birth and four sisters, Molly, Thelma, Irene and Myrtle.

Survivors include two daughters, Marian Gildersleeve-Martin of Selma and Linda (Ulysses) Gildersleeve -Blackwell of Atlanta, GA; four grandchildren, Jabari and Shedra Martin of Selma and Shayla and Marche’ Blackwell of Atlanta; six sister-in-laws, Cora Dell Ramsey, Loretta Moore, Izola Prichett of Chicago, IL, Elmira (L.O.) Hope of Dixon Mills, AL, Nellie Blackmon of Selma, Gracie Dunning of Chicago, IL; brother-in-law, Canterberry Dunning of Tuscaloosa; host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

James Edward Gildersleeve, the seventh of eleven children, was born on May 21, 1918 in Marengo County, Vineland, AL, to the late Edward and Alice Hayes Gildersleeve. He accepted Christ at a young age and continued to fulfill his Christian obligation until God called him home on June 17, 2004, at Jackson Hospital Long Term Care Facility in Montgomery.

James served as a Military Policeman in the U.S. Army for four years during WWII and was honorably discharged on October 14, 1945.

Upon returning home, he was united in holy matrimony to Ludy Bernice Dunning, his childhood sweetheart on December 26, 1945, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Vineland, AL. The couple later moved to Birmingham, AL where he received his B.S. degree from Miles College. He received his Master’s degree in Secondary Education and AA Certificate in administration from Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL.

James had forty-one fulfilling years as an educator, working as a teacher and principal in both public and private schools in the state of Alabama. He was a devoted husband for fifty-seven years and a loving father. He retired from the Wilcox County Board of Education in September 1990. Shortly after retirement, his health began to decline.

His organizational memberships included: The National and Alabama Education Associations, Trinity Men’s Layman’s League, Boy Scouts of America, Dallas County Voter’s League, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and various political organizations. He was the recipient of numerous awards for his leadership and significant, selfless involvement in minority and civic affairs. He worked tirelessly for his church in mission development, holding various church offices; as an educator; and as a Civil Rights Leader. He was one of the organizers and the first Chair of the Dallas County Voter’s League (DCVL) Trustee Board. The Trustee Board was charged with the responsibility of managing the financial affairs of the DCVL. The three-member board expanded to eight, later to be called, “The Courageous Eight’.

The Courageous Eight were a group of committed individuals (Ulysses Blackmon, Amelia Boynton, Earnest Doyle, Marie Foster, James Gildersleeve, Rev. J.D. Hunter, Rev. F.D. Reese, Rev. Henry Shannon) that banned together in segregated Selma, AL in 1964 to fight a war against segregation, Jim Crow, injustice and intimidation, to say, “No more!” No more to the racist and bigoted white power structure that continued to hold blacks in the South in the shackles that were an extension of slavery. This group dared to defy the hostile white power structure, risking imprisonment, injury and death, to fight for what they believed in: equality in education, the right to earn a fair wage, the right to elect your leaders with the ballot, and the other basic freedoms that other Americans enjoyed.

James Gildersleeve was recognized by the DCVL and the National Voting Rights Museum as President Emeritus of the DCVL. He worked with the Citizens Advisory Council on the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. He was the recipient of Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding leadership in voter registration by the state of Alabama. President Bill Clinton honored the Courageous Eight in 2000 at the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Right to vote held on Selma. He lived and breath his commitment to achieving a better way of life for oppressed people until his dying day.

Frances Leona Miley

Frances Leona Miley, 96, of Selma, died Friday, June 25, 2004.

Lawrence Funeral Home directing

Arrangements incomplete at this and will be announced later.

Eartha Lee Craig

Eartha Lee Craig of Selma, died on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at a local hospital.

Services will be held on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at 12 noon at Ebenezer Baptist Church with Rev. F.D. Reese officiating and Lewis Brothers Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Fairlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Junior Craig; one sister, Arsla Anna Marshall; one brother, Henry Herron; nephew, Robert Todd.

Survivors include daughters, Nancy L. Rashada and Jessie M. Craig both of Bellflower, CA; one sister, Ruby Gordon of Mobile, AL; two nieces, Pearlie Mae Todd of Mobile and Minnie Mae Gilmore of Morvin, AL, Janice (Willie) Malone of Mobile, AL, neighbor, Willie Mae Reese of Selma; host of other nieces, nephews and relatives.

Honorary pallbearers will be deacons of church.

Dorothy Dunn Agee

Dorothy Dunn Agee, 85, of Selma, died on Friday, June 25, 2004 at a local hospital.

Services will be held on Monday, June 28, 2004 at 11 a.m. in Lawrence Funeral Home Chapel with Lawrence Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in New Live Oak Cemetery.

Visitations will be on Monday from 10-11 a.m. at Lawrence Funeral Home in the fellowship hall at Memorial United Methodist Church.

Survivors include son, I. K. Agee Jr., and his wife Sabrah of Marion; daughters, Karen Agee Wood and her husband, Jim, Jeanette Agee Garner all of Selma; grandchildren, I. K. Agee, III and his wife Kelly of Daphne, Meegan Agee Garner of Montgomery, Erin Garner of Rome, GA, Jason Garner, Lydia Garner all of Auburn, Anna Garner of Selma; great-grandchildren, Kara Agee and Kylee Agee of Daphne; brother, Barney Rentz Dunn of Union Springs; sisters, Elnor Yeager of Tucker, GA, Owen McFaden and her husband George of Montgomery, AL, Jewell Dennison and her husband Faye of Pensacola, FL.

Mrs. Agee is preceded in death by her husband, L.K. Agee, Sr. and her sister, Mattie Frances DeBardeleben of Clanton.

Active pallbearers will be nephews.

Honorary pallbearers will be Friendship Sunday Class and United Methodist Women.

In lieu of flower, the family suggests memorials be made to Memorial United Methodist Church.

Cecil Lamar White

Cecil Lamar White, 96, of Marion, AL, died on Friday, June 25, 2004 at 2 p.m. at Kirk Funeral Home Chapel in Marion, AL with Rev. Lloyd Stockman officiating and Kirk Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow in Pine Crest Memorial Gardens in Marion, AL.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 27, 2004 from 1-2 p.m. at Kirk Funeral Home before the service.

Survivors include ten nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Wilma Ivey White.

Active pallbearers will be James (Bud) Rinehart, Robert Murphy, Greg Cochran, Levert Hopkins, Jack Blevins and Val Ivey.