April 2018

Page A29 APRI L 2018 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS S ec t i on A • A complete line of coordinated stationery • Original watercolor artwork by • Features new Tribute Box and Correspondence Set packaging 800-827-5151 • www.messengerstationery.com © Marjolein Bastin Promo Code: 8978 Easily personalize with our FREE software = Legacies, Trailblazers and Inductees “If you have respect for all the people as they are, you can be more effective in helping them to become better than they are. The heart that accepts is a heart at Peace.” The 100 Black Women of Funeral Service Organization Founded in 1993 in Kissimmee, FL the 100BWFS membership celebrates 25 years of excellence as they continue to showcase the dedication, compassion, integrity and strong work ethic of this industry while pro- viding scholarships for deserving mortuary students. Elleanor Davis Starks, CFSP Founder During the 80th Annual Convention of NFDMA in Myrtle Beach, SC, the 100BWFS focused on passing the torch to the phenomenal next generation while honoring the funeral service greatness of 150 plus years. In the next few months we will feature some of the great South Carolina family legacies, trailblazers in education from the historic Atlanta College of Mortuary Science – the institution of Master Morticians – and the 2018 African American Funeral Service Hall of Fame Museum inductees. We are honored to share these stories about funeral service and its heroes. To donate historic pictures, articles, magazines, etc. to the AAFSHFM email Hundredbwfs@aol.com . James Melvin Tucker, Haugabrooks Funeral Home, Atlanta, GA Atlanta College of Mortuary Science Alumni James Melvin Tucker Born in Thomas County, GA in 1934, James Melvin Tucker, CFSP started working for King-Mills Funeral Home in Waycross, GA before enrolling in the Atlan- ta College of Mortuary Science in 1961. While attend- ing school, Tucker began working at the historic Geneva Haugabrooks Funeral Home in Atlanta and continued to work for the funeral home for over 50 years as a li- censed funeral director and embalmer. He became presi- dent of the funeral home in 1992. Tucker was named the Mortician of the Year in 1972 and again in 1995 from the 9th District of the Georgia Funeral Service and Practitioners Association for his dili- gent work ethic. He has served the GFS&PA Association and the Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity faithfully. These memberships along with the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice and the Academy of Graduate Embalmers of Georgia, has kept him on his P’s and Q’s. The 100 Black Women of Funeral Service honors this great Living Legend for all he has accom- plished as a graduate of ACMS and master mortician, trailblazer and role model. Mattie A. Gethers Octavia M. Gethers Mattie and Octavia Gethers, Gethers Funeral Home, Moncks Corner, SC Leadership and Family Legacy Rev Octavius Gethers es- tablished the Gethers Fu- neral Home in Monck’s Corner in 1950 and in 1979 he built a facility in St. Stephens County. Geth- ers had an entrepreneurial spirit, organizing and op- erating several businesses to serve his community, which included an ambulance ser- vice and a funeral home. On May 12, 1960 he mar- ried the love of his life, Mat- tie Addison Gethers and this union blessed him with three children, Octavia M. Gethers, CFSP-CPC; O. Ad- dison, LFD; and Mario Gethers, CFSP, all of whom followed in his footsteps. Mattie Gethers continues this legacy as a licenses funeral director and president of Gethers Funeral Home, Inc. She is a member of several organizations includ- ing, the South Carolina Morticians Associ- ation, National Funeral Directors and Mor- ticians Association, South Carolina Funeral Directors Association and the National Fu- neral Directors Association. The legacy continues withWoman of Pow- er in this great family legacy with Octavia M. Gethers, serves as first vice president and li- censed mortician. She earned a degree in fu- neral service from Fayetteville Technical Com- munity College and was the 2002 recipient of the JM Nolte Scholar Academic Excellence Award presented by the University Mortuary Science Education Association. She has served formerly as the Director of Public Relations for SCMA and holds four mortuary organi- zation memberships. The 100 Black Women of Funeral Service recognizes both of these outstanding professionals as 2017 Women of Power of a great Family Legacy. F.B. Pratt and Son Funeral Home, Newberry, SC African American Funeral Home Hall of Fame Lillie K. Pratt Fred B. Pratt, Sr Fred B. Pratt, Jr Fred B. Pratt and Son Funeral Home, Inc has been serving the Newberry, SC community in a caring, compassionate and dignified manner since 1929. Found- er Fred B Pratt, Sr sought to provide fam- ilies with meaningful and professional ser- vices to honor and to celebrate a life that Continued on Page A30