í,!‘^lortlan b © bscruer Page A6 October 10. 2007 Soldier, James ‘Mailman’ Smith Remembered Funeral services were held Monday at Genesis Community Fellowship for James A. Smith who died after a year of illness on Thursday, Oct. 4,2007 at home surrounded by his family, children, grandchildren and close friends. He was affectionately known as Baby James, Jimmy and Mailman. He was born on Nov. 30, 1937 in Clarksdale, Miss., an area known as "the Delta" and "Home of the Blues.” He recom­ mitted his life to the Lord Jesus before his death, repented of his sins and made peace with his God and was ready to "go home.” He fought the good fight and ran the race until the end. His favor­ ite hymn was "Nearer my God to Thee.” He moved to Port­ land in 1985 after 35 years o f active duty service in the Army. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in Port­ land after 20 years of James A. Smith service in July. He loved being a soldier, especially a Buffalo Soldier and served his community by raising aware- nessoftheimportanceof African-American history. He always made sure that soldiers were never forgotten. He loved the music of the Blues and photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver yearly attended the Blues festival at Moran Freeman’s Blues Club in his hometown of A local contingent o f Buffalo Soldiers is part o f the procession that arrives at Genesis Community Clarksdale. Many people and children lov­ Fellowship in northeast Portland Monday for the funeral o f fellow Buffalo Soldier James ‘Mailman ’ ingly knew him as "Mailman." He was fun- Smith who died Oct. 4 at the age o f 69. Fifty Years of Links continued fro m Front their visit to "Oregon Territory," but soon became impressed with their sisters’ equal if not greater sense of purpose. The fundraising event began with a few sets of folding chairs in a neighborhood facility used for woodcrafting, tickets going for $3.50 apiece, but has grown to pack the Convention Center with wine, food and tables starting at $75 a seat. What the original fair lacked in elegance, it made up for in passion, agree Walker and Williams. As with most of the 275 chapters of Links, including more than 10,000 women nationwide, the Portland ! group has expanded its focus from youth and civil-rights issues to include health concerns. To kick off the 50th-anniver- sary weekend of festivities, Port- landLinkswillpresentPastorMary | Overstreet-Smith with a 2007 meri­ torious award from the entire west­ ern cluster of Links to honor her ! work with Katrina evacuees. The free ceremony is scheduled for 6 j p.m. Friday, Nov. 2 at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. The next day, Saturday, Nov. 3 a $75 dinner and dance will take place at 6 p.m. in the downtown Embassy Suites. loving, loved people and was always smiling. He also loved horses, gardening, playing dominoes and pool, and fashioned himself as a photographer. He had 12 sisters and brothers, seven chil­ dren, 16 grandchildren and great grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by parents Chambers Smith who raised him; biological father Leander Holden; mother Laurel Smith; sisters Geneva Gates, Pearlie Mae Parker, Zenobia Prevot; and brothers Chambers Smith and Michael Holden. He is survived by Gloria Smith who he was married for 35 years; brother Stanley (Edna) Smith of Chicago; sisters Jessie Mae Pitman of Indianapolis, Cleotha (George) Holden Strong, Arlington Holden and Luci lie Holden- Shaw of Los Angeles, and Rubye and Verle Holden of Clarksdale and Ethel Holden- Jennings o f A tlanta; children Alvin T. (Adonna) Morris of St. Louis, Eleanor (Ben­ jamin) Howard of Chicago, Donald Neal of Nashville, Brenda Dizer-Coe and son-in-law Joseph Coe of Las Vegas, James A. Smith Jr. of Kuwait, Charles A. Smith Sr. and Pierre (Kathy) Smith of Portland; grandchildren Ryan Morris, Kevin Brown, Russell Dizer Jr., Erin Dizer, Nicole Bagby, Candace Alexander, Alexandria Smith, Charles A. Smith II, Ashley Sm ith and M arcus Sm ith, D estiny and Taliyaha Neal, and great grandchildren Nicho­ las Bagby, Gabriel Alexander, and Nashyia Cuthbertson, and Tyus Jackson, and care­ takers Leola Hopson and Mary Johnson of Vancouver. Ask Deanna'. the household and our lives. If I husband and get him moving. don’t do things, he’ 11 sit like a lump on a log. If things don’t get done, Dear Deanna! we argue. How can I get him to I bought a car from a friend and meet me in the middle? -H a p p y it was a huge mistake. A fter I got the car it broke dow n, started Hut Tired; Toledo. Ohio leaking oil and the transm ission Dear Tired: went bad. Because w e’re friends, Your husband is a lost cause if you I thought we could work it out, don’t have him trained or house and I w ould get som e o f my broken by now. You should look money back. I approached him Dear Deanna! on the bright side and be glad he about these issues and he told me My husband is very selfish and has a job, he’s not abusive and it w asn’t his problem. I d o n 't inconsiderate. We have a healthy he’s involved with the children know what to do because a m e­ relationship, our finances are good instead of being on a milk carton chanic told me he had the car and we are good parents to our I ike a dead-beat dad. Take an analy­ fixed ju st enough to sell it. I feel children. The biggest issue in the sis o f the pros and cons in your betrayed and want to know if I relationship is the fact he w on't marriage, and if the negatives are can sue him ? —M elinda; Boston help with anything. I have to do all more than the positives, seek coun­ the shopping, cleaning, planning seling, hang in there and do the Dear Melinda: for activities and everything to run best you can to motivate your Y our friend ripped you o ff by selling you a lemon and left you with a silly look on your face. T h e re 's not m uch you can do unless you have docum ents, the term s o f the sale and sim ilar pa­ perw ork you w ould norm ally receive from a dealership. Your car is on the road dead, your friendship is ruined and your m oney is gone. It’s worth going to sm all-claim s court because he d id n 't think about you, so you should handle your business and get ready to see the judge. Ask Deanna is written by Deanna M. Write Ask Deanna! Email: askdeannal@yahoo.com or 264 S. LaCienega Blvd. Suite 1283 Beverly Hills. CA 90211. Website: www.askdeanna.com This ad w ould w ork a lot b e tte r if yo u ’d asked to see it. S P E C IA L O F F E R . 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