Sunday, December 28, 2008
Born: Dec. 26, 1908, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Parents: William Harvey and Ella Oliver Thomas.
Schooling: Came to Youngstown and attended the Old Elm Street School.
Achievements: While attending elementary school she helped raise funds to erect the statue of Volney Rogers at the Falls Avenue entrance to Mill Creek MetroParks.
Historical moment: In 1926 she was one of the first five black students to graduate from the new Rayen School on Benita Avenue. She attended Howard University and was a former member of the Iota Lambda Nu Sorority.
Employment: She lived in Philadelphia, where she worked for several years before moving to Columbus, where she was employed by the Federal Government before retiring in 1974 after 43 years of service.
Hobbies: She stopped driving at 96 years of age, enjoys being chauffeured by her family, loves traveling, cooking, sewing, reading, entertaining, playing Spider Solitaire on the computer, surfing the Internet, and e-mailing friends and family.
Family: Includes two grandchildren and their spouses, Donald and Elaine Carpenter Jr. and Karen and Willie Lewis, with whom she makes her home; three great-grandchildren, Alana and Harry Bautista, Eric D. Jones, and Ricardo Wilson; and three great-great grandchildren Diamyn, Briann and Najah. Her siblings, Julius and Lois, and a daughter, Jayne L. Phifer, are deceased.
Memories: She has witnessed may life-changing events and inventions, such as the beginning of the mass production of the automobile, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, numerous presidents and modern technological advancement.
Surprise: Never thought she would live to see a black man elected president of the United States.
Celebration: On Dec. 27 she was honored by family and friends during a party given by the Lewises at their home.
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