GSU Construction Engineering Technology endowed Chair passes Fred Morales of Ruston, an Endowed Chair of Construction Engineering Technology at Grambling State University at the time of his death, has passed away at the age of 82.
Graveside services with military honors were held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 1 at the Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Mr. Fred Morales was born on July 18, 1923, and passed away Tuesday, May 29. He was a retired major of the United States Air Force, he had served as a flight instructor in the Army Air Corps during WWII and served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. A graduate of Texas A&M and a member of the Society of Civil Engineers, and the Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors.
A world traveler, he did assignments for the Pan-American Coalition of Civil Engineers in Turkey and in the Marshall Islands with Browne and Root. Before teaching at Jacksonville State University, he was a professor at Louisiana Tech.
In addition to his generous, care-giving spirit, Fred was a lover of life and of people, an inspiration in the lives of his children, his grandchildren, and of all whom he met…a befriender of strangers. He lived by the tenets of the Golden Rule and will be a grave loss to all.
Grambling Child Development student remembered
LaTonya Rhonese Smith was presently attending Grambling State University earning a degree in Child Development, she was determined to walk across the stage in the December 2007 commencement activities.
Services for LaTonya was held Thursday, May 31 at the Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ church in Ruston.
LaTonya was the first-born daughter of Deborah Sue Melton and Kent Jackson Sr. She was born April 1, 1981 in Monroe.
She was a graduate of Ruston High School, Class of 2000.
LaTonya was diagnosed with a terminal disease called Myasthenia Gravis four years ago. Even though living with this disease that attacks the muscular system, LaTonya fought it everyday. Most people would have given up, but she would not let it stop her.
Retired Grambling State University employee takes final rest
Ann Stevenson Osborne, retired GSU purchasing officer, was funeralized Tuesday, May 15 at the Mount Zion B.C. in Grambling.
Mrs. Osborne was better known as”Lil Mama.” She was born to the union of Sherman and Ruth Walker on August 10, 1932, in Port Arthur, Texas. Ann completed her primary and secondary education in the public school system of Port Arthur, Texas. Upon completion of high school Ann moved to Monroe, where she enrolled in Robinson Business College under the directorate of Mrs. Emily P. Robinson. That training subsequently led to Mrs. Osborne’s employment at Grambling College where she served in the Purchasing Department for over forty-six years.
Her dedication, tenacity, integrity, and “do it right or do it again” mentality carried over into the work place.
Prior to her career, Ann met and married Thomas J. Stevenson and to that union three children were born, Cynthia Gail, Sheila Anne, and Eric Bernard. The family included two beautiful stepdaughters, Thomasina Saundra and Thelma Jacqueline. Ann was an exemplary parent quick to show her and love and equally as fast on the discipline. She loved her family fully and unconditionally. A faithful and dutiful member of Mt. Zion, Ann was a member of the Love Matron’s Mass Choir and the deaconess board. Miss Ann as she was affectionately known had a reputation for getting the job done. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:22: Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.
On April 16, 1994, Benjamin Booker Osborne did just that when he and Ann were joined in Holy Matrimony. Once again their family circle was complete and seven loving siblings were added.
Grambling State retired food service director remembered
Funeral services for Olemuel Ashford Sr., a retired food service director at Grambling State University, was held Friday, May 4 at Lewis Temple C.M.E. Church in Grambling.
Mr. Ashford was born in Houston, Texas, May 6, 1923, the son of Brother Edd and Sister Gertrude Ashford, who preceded him in death.
Not only was Ashford a retired food service director, but he was also a businessman and educator. Before that, he administered university-based food service operations and taught institutional cooking and management.
He attended Jack Yates High School in Houston. He received his bachelor’s degree from Tuskegee Institute, majoring in commercial dietetics and minoring in business administration. His training continued in the School of Culinary Arts in the U.S. Army.
Ashford served as head chef at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Va., which served a clientele of 1,200. He also was director of food service at Tuskegee Institute, head Pullman waiter with Atlanta Coastline Railroad, instructor of cooking at Jacksonville, Fla., Naval Air Station, and instructor of cooking, baking, food costs, inventory control and accounting at the Walker Vocational School in Jacksonville, Fla.
He came to Grambling College in 1954 as the assistant director of food services and later became the director of food services until his retirement. Upon moving to Grambling, he became affiliated with Lewis Temple.
He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. His numerous affiliations included National Hotel-Restaurant Association, charter member of the Tiger Club, Grambling Zoning Committee, Grambling Unit of Retired Teachers, Grambling Voters League, NAACP, Grambling Chamber of Commerce, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regiment.
He is a veteran of World War II, where he received five Bronze Stars, a campaign medal ribbon, Philippine Liberation medal and three Overseas Service bars during his U.S. Army career.
Arlynne Lake Cheers leaves a legacy of good memories
Dr. Arlynne Lake Cheers, a retired professor emeritus of Grambling State University, is remembered fondly at her passing. She was funeralized in Tennessee.
Dr. Cheers was Made into Zeta Epsilon Alpha Zeta in 1954.
She was the organizer of the first debutant ball for freshman young ladies in an attempt to improve their overall personalities as young women.
“She was one of my closet friends, outstanding Christian, and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. We all will miss her,” said Inez Harris of Grambling.