- Dia Collins
- Jean Ford
- Mattie Kidd
- Ruth Mitchell
- Danna Smith
- Homer & Elaine Solomon
- Nikita Thomas
GET WELL
- Shelia Taylor-Mason is successfully recovering from her illness.
- Dorothy Taylor is recuperating great after having her second knee replacement
GRADUATIONS & EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
Dia Collins - graduated from Basic Refrigeration and will be completing High Pressure Boiler Operator at the end of August. Her goal is to become a 1st steam chief engineer. Dia was previously invited to go Germany as an exchange student. Because of her academic success graduated a year early. During her senior year she took college classes at Henry Ford Community College in Information Computer Systems and Business Technology earning honor roll grades.
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At only eight years of age, Wayne Collins Jr. completed his 5th bible reading on the Theocratic Ministry School of Jehovah's Witnesses. Wayne gave his first bible reading assignment at age six. OH, almost forgot, Wayne is also an Honor Roll student!_
Chaz Mitchell – Son of Lita Mitchell, graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas, and will be attending high school at Villa Angela, St. Joseph Academy. Chaz is a member of the choir Men of Tomorrow, and don’t plan of teasing him about singing, because he recently earned his Black Belt in the martial art of Tae-Kwon-Do.
Congratulations to Carl Taylor Jr. on his graduation from Pershing High School in Detroit
In June 2005 Dorothy Taylor had the privilege of attending the Full-time ministry Pioneer School of Jehovah's Witnesses for the second time. She has been in the full-time ministry over 25 years.
Congratulations to Julian Taylor III who earned his journeyman's degree as an electrician. He distinguished himself by remaining on the Dean's List the entire time.
Latasha Temple from Macon, Georgia area – Will be attending the University of Georgia
Brandi Thomas-Beasley received her Bachelors degree in Health Service Administration
James Ernest Vinson Jr.(Ernie), son of James Vinson Sr. (Man) and grandson of the late Mattie Vinson, graduated from Winston Salem State University in May of 2005. Ernie earned a BS in Political Science.
WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS
Congratulations to Andrea Hawkins & Emmett Ford who were married Sunday afternoon, May 29th at the Palace Theatre at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. Emmett is the son of Mattie Kidd of Cleveland.
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_Congratulations to Keith and Janet Littman. On July 16, 2005 Keith (Son of Margaret Littman, Grandson of the late Mattie Vinson) was united to Janet Derr-Cline in a double Ring ceremony in Gastonia, NC.
Congratulations to Nikita Thomas on her engagement to Lance Panton. They will have a wedding at sea on November 14 in St. Thomas.
NEW ARRIVALS
Latara and Mann Coleman had a baby boy, Tarque Kenyon Coleman on June 7th.
Daron Mason had a baby boy, Daren Latrell Mason on June 23rd, and that made Shelia Mason a grandmother again!
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Camille Pratt – Daughter of Bonita “Bonnie” Pratt and granddaughter of proud grandparents JoAnn Ford & Rasool Jackson.
FAITH, LOVE, COMMITMENT
Generation I
Julian & Dorothy Taylor - 44 Years - 10/28
Carl & Debra Taylor - 10/13
Irilla & Louis Duhart - 9 Years - 12/20
Sheila & Leroy Mason - 7/29
William "Jimmy" & Marilyn Taylor -
Kenny & Janice Taylor -
Generation II
Harold & Teresa King - 7/10
Jordonna & Wayne Collins - 20 Years - 8/25
Clarence & LaTanya King - 6/4
Generation III
Latara & Arlnor Coleman - 8/2
REMEMBER WHEN?
August, 1985 - Dianne & Henry Ford were married in the Greater Gardens of Cleveland, and then immediately headed to the 1st Reunion outside the United States – Hosted by Detroit Chapter at Wheels Inn, in Chatam, Ontario, Canada. During that reunion, Dianne & Henry hosted their reception (1st Wedding Reception at a Family Reunion – to our knowledge!) in their hospitality suite.
NEW HOMES
Congratulations to Tyrone Thomas and Clarence King on the purchase of their new homes.
CONGRATULATIONS - ANOTHER HOME! - Would you believe that Jordonna Collins built her SECOND home last year?
The BIG MOVE! – Rasool Jackson & JoAnn Ford don’t mess around when they decide it’s time to move. Anyone who has ever visited their home in Orange Village, Ohio might find it hard to imagine that they would ever want to leave. Not content with moving across town or just “Moving on Up,” they decided to make a real change. Below are a few lines from a letter we received from them in July:
“In the next couple of months, we will live somewhere between Orange Village and Sarasota (Florida). As most of you know, Rasool and I bought a home in Sarasota last summer. We fell in love with the area about 20 years ago while visiting relatives there. Sarasota is a small community of about 36,000 people and lots of gorgeous beaches and spectacular sunsets! Oh, and tons of good seafood. The saying there is “it’s heaven on earth” except during a hurricane season – June thru November. I guess you can’t have it all.”
JoAnn and Rasool would like for you to call or visit when you are in the area, but we don't want to publish their contact information on the web. If you would like to contact them, PRESS HERE and we will forward their contact information to you.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Henry Stewart of Cleveland, Ohio celebrated his 80th Birthday earlier this year and his biggest surprise was someone on the guest list that “happened by.” Henry’s wife Carrie carefully kept the news from everyone that daughter Myra from Charlotte, North Carolina (some 500 miles away) would be a surprise guest.
Party over where? Anthony Taylor (youngest son of Parthenia Taylor) will celebrate his birthday on August 24th.
PROMOTIONS & BUSINESS
Wayne Collins is in his third year as owner of Doc Collins Construction Company.
Congratulations to Kennedy Center Award Winner Margaret Ford-Taylor as she and the staff at CAT (Cleveland Art Theatre) continue to expand and thrill audiences around Northern Ohio.
In July, Peggy Martin was promoted to principal of Cooper Middle School in Austell, GA.
TRAVELS
Henry & Dianne Ford went on a 22-day tour of New Zealand and Australia in November. While in Sydney, Henry addressed a meeting of the Australian Shareholders Association and a delegation of investors from China.
See photos at: http://www.travel.successisyou.org/page008.html.
Julian & Dorothy Taylor, and Irilla & Louis Duhart did not miss Henry & Dianne at all (didn't know they were gone), because they were on a two week South Caribbean cruise during most of that time.
As this newsletter is being prepared, Minister Donald & Peggy Singleton are in Russia on a multi-cultural mission trip. Their travels are related to missionary work in conjunction with St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Oregon. Their plans include participating in ministry opportunities that include Evangelistic meetings; visits to homes, schools, hospitals, orphanages, universities and much more.
To use up airline credits earned for accepting a bump on the way to last year’s reunion, Henry & Dianne Ford took an impromptu trip to Montreal, Canada in July (See Slide Show Below).
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COMMUNITY SERVICE
Monique Jackson to run in Chicago AIDS Marathon
Monique Jackson, daughter of Kevin & Arlene Jackson will run in the Chicago AIDS Marathon to raise funds for AIDS research. We received this information too late to put in the hard copy of the newsletter, but you can help and encourage Monique in this very worthwhile effort:
RETIREMENT
After years of toiling for the North Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, Ruth Mitchell retired and is now free to win at Bingo as much as she likes.
Julian Taylor Jr. (Oldest son of Parthenia Taylor) has survived corporate America. He is retiring from General Motors after 43 years of service as a skilled trade pipe fitter.
JEERS
Don't Be So Cruel is the message for McCoy Smith. In a move designed to torture Jean Ford by awakening her taste buds to memories of the past, we have reliable information that McCoy emailed Jean Ford a photo of someone's Macaroni-n-Cheese. Nice going McCoy, now all of us are hungry!
IF WE MISSED YOU . . .
It’s because it is HARD to get family news if YOU don’t “reach out and touch someone.” We can keep in touch with those who have (and use) an e-mail address, because we have NO BUDGET!
Please send your e-mail address to successisyou@yahoo.com.
THANKS DETROIT!
Each year since 1974, when Cleveland’s Ford-Bryson Chapter sponsored the first reunion, someone, somewhere, somehow, has decided that maintaining and strengthening family ties is an important part of our lives. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has always been fun and rewarding. This year, we owe thanks to the collective effort of our “Detroit Area Family” that, as they have so often done before, stepped up to the plate to “hit a home run” and keep the family “in the game.”
Our family, separated by geography, by generations, and by aspirations, is nevertheless united by love and respect. As we go forward from this time and place, many challenges lie ahead. Today we live in a world that too often values profit, power and greed above integrity, common courtesies, and often above concern for human life. Our yearly expressions of both word and deed are in contrast to this decline of moral and spiritual values.
It is our hope and prayer, that this reunion will become a stepping stone and foundation for a yet brighter tomorrow. Within this family is the talent and tenacity to build character, achieve personal and professional greatness, create relationships and raise families that our parents and grandparents would be proud of. In memory and honor of those who have come before us, may we resolve to continue to communicate with, to love, to respect, to teach, and to learn from one another; so the sacrifice and teachings of those who came before us will not have been in vain. As I often share with audiences I speak to; “You are each artistically appealing, beautifully bred, completely capable, divinely destined, extraordinarily endowed, fairly fascinating and generously gifted.” If we are all of that by ourselves (with God’s blessing), think of what we are and can become as a part of the family.Henry & Dianne Ford
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