ST. LOUIS AMERICAN • JULY 30 - AUGUST 5, 2015
A10
National Funeral Directors meet in St. Louis
Local funeral service owner looks back at days of ‘hand shake of good faith’ By Ozella J. Foster For The St. Louis American
Throughout the week of August 1-6, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association’s Annual Convention will meet in St. Louis, and the local state association membership will give convention participants the thrill of their lives. We will begin Sunday, August 2 with worship at the Central Baptist Church and a “Stop the Violence Rally and Guest Columnist Street Hearse/ Motorcycles Ozella Parade.” Foster The morning Robinson opening day session on Monday, August 3 will feature St. Louis-born Congresswoman Maxine Waters. On Tuesday night, August 4, our young colleague William C. Harris Jr. will be presented the Professional of the Year Award. Wednesday night, August 5, is our grand finale. It will be a historical event program. The National Political Action Committee of the association will feature yet another of our native powerhouse guest speakers, Congressman Wm.
Bernadette Officer and Carl Officer are the operators of the Officer Funeral Home today. They are grandchildren of the legendary William E. Officer of East St. Louis, a founder of the St. Louis Gateway Funeral Directors Association.
Lacy Clay. On that evening, we also will pay special tribute to a select group pioneers, legendary trailblazers and centurion (100 years) marquee funeral directors and embalmers. The Special Appreciation Award will go to George Carper II for being there for many of the funeral businesses when their money was not there. Mr. Carper, the nearly 100-year-old AfricanAmerican marquee local casket businessman, was there for the people and funeral home owners. He was there to save the service for the funeral home by the “hand shake of good faith” concept. He gave his caskets and other funeral merchandise, and then waited on his money until a later date. We must say thanks in a huge, public way. St. Louis has always been in the thick of the funeral service profession, primarily because of our will to serve our black families. Back in the day, black funeral home owners were
men and women who learned to operate their business on the hand shake of faith. That hand shake of faith method allowed for the funeral director to become what one would call today to be “the man.” The corner funeral home was the place of helping the bereaved to regain their inner composure after the loss of a loved one. The funeral was done in a funeral home, mostly, instead of the church. Just the title of being funeral home owner commanded the upmost respect. Their dress was so unique. The late Marion E. Officer Sr. was the epitome of the well-suited funeral director of all times. Many have attempted to mimic his style, but it will never be. In the mid-‘60s, Fulton E. Culkins of Ellis Funeral Homes was the first African American appointed to the Missouri State Board of Embalmers. In those days a black face on the state level was nearly unheard of. His glowing, light – nearly white – skin was the driving force for many doors to be opened for black funeral business men and women then and today. He was accepted in the Caucasian arena a lot easier than most. Consequently, he was able to create pathways to the top for many young funeral directors, like Theodore” Ted” Foster Sr. and Charles Woodcox. Fulton Culkins’ demeanor commanded much respect from his peers, and together they nurtured the relationships that the funeral directors developed by going to meetings at each other’s facilities. Ted Foster was literally
the legacy of Fulton Culkins, beginning at the death Mrs. Nellie Mae Foster, his mother. Fulton put the remains of Mrs. Foster on the same train with Ted and sent them both back to August, Arkansas for the service. Once he saw that Ted Foster had the makings of a good funeral director, the rest was history. Ted Foster went on to become the city household name as the owner of Ted Foster and Sons Funeral Homes, Inc. G Wade Granberry was another forceful legendary funeral director that made outstanding funeral service men and women into committed funeral home owners today. That includes Beverly, Janet, Cecil and Harold of Granberry Mortuary and TT Yandel of Webster Groves. Austin A. Layne Jr. received his beginning under G Wade Granberry. Layne never forgets to make it known that Granberry is still his mentor today. The pioneers of yesterday were not selfish business people when it came to educating the St. Louis funeral directors or embalmers of their era. Many St. Louis funeral directors were blessed to have several iconic owners to guide them in the right direction early in their young careers, like Ronald L. Jones (who began under Birdie Beal) and Archbishop Michael A. West Sr. Bishop West, who had the privilege to be taught by Birdie Beal and G Wade Granberry. Many of these extraordinary, legendary funeral directors were educated without the likes of an organized school of mortuary science, although all of the existing professionals did become licensed by state requirements. Some directors were perfectionist in the craft, such as John Cunningham, the husband of the late Nettie Cunningham and father of Susie M Cunningham of S M Cunningham Funeral Home. Some say that John was born with the God-given talent to be greatest restorative artist in the embalming profession. Today the new generation of funeral services providers are dictated by unnecessary requirements, organized politically board members, and unproven and complicated written school books. No more good, old hand-shaking days. Ozella J. Foster is owner of Ozella J. Foster Funeral Service, 3619 Finney Ave. Lois Iverson and Rev. Theodore “Ted” Foster Sr. furnished historical materials.
Community Briefs
City offers new parking app
Every parking meter in the City of St. Louis now accepts payment via the mobile phone app ParkLouie. The ParkLouie app is a version of ParkMobile, the leading national provider of mobile parking technology. ParkLouie patrons can pay for parking simply by registering for the app and entering the zone number identified on green stickers affixed to parking meters. Paying for parking via ParkLouie will not register time in the physical parking meter, but parking enforcement personnel will be able to detect your payment. ParkLouie also makes it easier to track your parking session, providing users with the ability to receive notifications near the end of their session and pay for additional time. ParkLouie can currently be downloaded in the Apple’s App Store for iPhones or through the Google Play Store for Android phones. ParkLouie can also be downloaded at http://www.parklouie.com. Those who do not have smart phones can also use the app by calling the toll-free number on parking stickers.
Vashon Museum to open August 8 The George Boyer Vashon African American Culture Research Center Museum will open to the public on Saturday August 8, founded by Calvin Riley Jr. Included in the museum collection are many items used by people who lived in The Ville, Meacham Park, Kinloch, Richmond Heights, Elmwood Park and other African-American neighborhoods. Riley said the museum “will be an educational center for people of all cultures that provides a glimpse into the struggle and accomplishments that most of us take for granted, regardless of race or ethnicity.” The Grand Opening is 1-4 p.m. Saturday August 8 and is free to the public. The museum, is located at 2223 St. Louis Avenue, in the St. Louis Place Neighborhood. For additional information, call 314-749-6322.
Head Start offers preschool classes The Ferguson-Florissant School District is partnering with Head Start to offer residents five full-day weekly preschool classes for 3- and 4-year-olds. Head Start incomeand employment-based eligibility is necessary. Classes are held at McCluer South-Berkeley High School and Griffith Elementary School. Both programs are open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For additional information call 314-595-3910. Free Preschool for 3- and 4- year- olds are two mornings a week, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. For 4 year olds there are two options: 3 mornings a week 8:30 – 11:30 or 4 afternoons, 12:15 – 3:15. For additional information on this program with degreed, certified teachers call 314-506-9066.