Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, August 27, 2008, Page 9, Image 9

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    P ageA 9
A u g u s t 27, 2 0 0 8
Bicycle Shop Grows with Community
C ascade C ycling is a business
that ju st had to happen.
T he full service bicycle shop,
w hich o pened in A ugust 2006,
sits along a m ajor bicy cle lane o f
traffic on N orth V ancouver A v­
enue and K illingsw orth S treet in
an up and com in g area.
T he o w n er o f this great bi­
cycle shop, Ben B artlett, lives in
the area and used to com m ute to
his jo b in d ow ntow n P ortland
via V ancouver A venue alm ost
every day.
W hen he noticed that a bu ild ­
ing w as being renovated on the
c o rn e r o f V a n c o u v e r and
K illin g s w o rth , he b o rro w e d
m oney, quit his jo b , found the
best bicycle m echanics around
and opened the bicycle shop.
C ascade C y clin g carries bi­
cy cles for ju st about everyone
from eight to eighty-four. T here
are easy -b o ard in g bicycles w ith
photo hs
In Loving M emory
V a n n essa A n n B ak er
Vannessa Ann Baker was
bom to the union o f Jewel ine
Banks and Lablase Blocker
on Sept. 1,1954 in Vancouver.
She later moved to Portland
with her mother and sister
Rhonda. Her mother later
married Claudius Banks Sr.,
who raised both children as
his own.
V annessa attended Hum boldt and
H ighland Elem entary schools. After
graduating from Cleveland
H igh S c h o o l in 1972,
V an n e ssa c o n tin u e d her
education at Pacific U niver­
sity, graduating in 1976 with
a degree in sociology.
H er deg ree led h er to
A lbina Head Start and later
moved to Self Enhancement,
Inc., in 1992 where she was a
dedicated and faithful em ployee until
Funeral services w ere held
M onday at V ancouver Avenue
First Baptist Church forOtisGhant.
one of the first black car dealers in
Oregon.
He was born in Shaw,
Miss., to Louis and Iola
Ghant. At the age o f 7.
the fam ily m oved to
Venice, 111., where he later
married his childhood
sw e e th e a rt
L o rra in
Washum. To that union was born
Vanessa Ghant.
To further his career, he moved
to San Diego, Calif, and later mar­
ried Ali Robinson and had his sec-
ondchild, Marilyn in 1958. He later
returned to Portland, where three
morechildren, Maxine. W alterand
Otie were bom.
At age 31 he entered the car
dealership business and was part
o f the Auto Dealers Union. During
a period o f adversity and turbulent
times, he made the decision to go
into business lor himself and in
1967 launched the successful ( ).G.
Motors Co. and remained in busi­
ness until 2(H) 1,34 years.
In 1974, he m arried Helen
Massey; they were married for 17
years. In 1978, he gave hislifetothe
L ord and faith fu lly atten d ed
V a n c o u v e r A v en u e B a p tist
C h u rch and b ecam e a
church deacon.
It was said of Otis that he
w as a g o o d fa th e r, a
hardworking and success­
ful businessman, a faithful
and trusted deacon, and a
man; who despite adver­
sity, defied the odds.
He leaves to mom his children,
daughters Vanessa Ghant of St.
Louis, Mo., Marilyn D ixonof Port­
land, Maxine Lawrence o f Portland
and Otie Williams of Redford.
Mich.: a son W alter A. Ghant of
Harrisonburg. Va.; brothers Bobby
Felts and Mike Felts; an aunt R uhie
Jackson and husband Lorenzo
Jackson o f St. Louis; an uncle
Wardel Dennisand wife Virginiaof
Detroit: Helen Massey and Lana
Matthew: and a host of grandchil­
dren, great grandchildren, relatives,
friendsand the community at large.
Arrangements by Cox & Cox
Funeral Chapel.
her passing on June 17, 2(H)8.
V annessa loved gardening and tell­
ing jokes.
She w as p reced ed in death by her
m o th er Jew elin e Banks, her lath er
L ablase B locker and grandm other and
g r a n d f a th e r , S im o n e an d V io la
W a tso n .
She leaves to mourn and cherish her
m em ories her husband Vernon Baker;
father Claudius Banks Sr. and wife
Greta; two daughters; Angela Benson
and Jessica Ellis; six sisters, Rhonda
Bayer of Tacom a, Stephanie Banks,
C athy Banks o f P o rtlan d . C eleste
i w a le ra of Las Vegas, Nev., Deborah
Blocker of Oakland, Calif, and Lola
Blocker of New York; five brothers.
C laudius Banks II, C hris Blocker,
Antwan Blocker, Craig Blocker, all of
Portland and Sonny Conley o f Las
Vegas; grandchildren Samiah, Corey
an d J 'N ia , T ra v e o n te an d M iss
Shandrea: numerous aunts and uncles
and a host o f nieces, nephews, cous­
ins. and many friends.
Celebration o f Life
C h r is t o r L e w is
A celebration of life musical for Christor
Lewis, w ho passed away June 5 ,2 0 0 8 in
King W ood, Texas, will be held Friday.
Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Highland Christian
C enter, 76(H) N.E. Glisan St.
He was the founder o f the Portland
gospel group “ Disciples in Song” and a
participant in many other choirs in the
city.
Church Leader Remembered
Auto Dealer, Father Defied Adversity
O t is G h a n t
M ark W \ siii \<; to \/T iii P orti and O bservkr
Ben Bartlett is open for business at his Cascade Cycling shop at the intersection of North Vancouver Avenue and
Killingsworth Street.
a low c e n te r o f g rav ity and
easy internal gearin g for those
w ho w ant added stability; light
w eight single speeds and e v ­
ery th in g else in betw een.
T h e m ain em p h a sis is on
p ro v id in g b icycles that fit o n e 's
needs and p ersonality. T h ere
are low cost co m m u te r bikes,
cu sto m an d to uring bikes and
the fastest folding b icy cles on
the p lan et for those that use
b icycles along w ith altern ate
form s o f tran sp o rtatio n .
C ascade C ycling has m echan­
ics on site seven days a w eek.
They often bui Id custom bicycles
to fit a cu sto m er's body size and
specific needs. They tlx flats, do
tune-ups and give technical in­
form ation.
T he shop also carries all the
supplies necessary to m ake y o u r
ride a good ride o r they can
o rder it.
J o h n n i e M a e H a s t in g s
Funeral services were held
Monday at Allen Tem ple Church
for Johnnie Mae Hastings who
died Aug. 19,2008.
She was born Nov.
11, 1932 to Van and
L u v e n ia ( E llio tt)
Alexander in Louann,
Ark. She was the 16th
c h ild born to th is
union which yielded four sets of
twins.
She united with New Jerusa­
lem Missionary Baptist Church in
Louann at an early age and moved
to Portland in 1949. She was a
graduate o f Jefferson High School
in 1950. She later enrolled in a
nursing program at Clark College
and became a Licensed Practical
Nurse. She worked many years al
Holiday Park Hospital.
Johnnie Mae had many hob­
bies but the one she loved and
enjoyed most was fishing.
She was an active member of
Ada Chapter Eastern Stars since
the 1970s. holding titles such as
secretary, past matron, mem­
ber of the executive board
and the grand building com ­
mittee.
Johnnie Mae was a faith1
t ul mem berof Allen Temple
Church for many years and
was on the Stewart board.
She was also an active member
of Volunteers of America and has
received several awards.
Johnnie Mae leaves to mourn
her daughter Rhonda I Hastings,
Roundtree (Ray); grandson John
Newel I III: granddaughter V ictoria
New ell; great grandchildren Romel
and Sir James Newell; and a host of
nieces and nephews. She will be
dearly missed by many.
Arrangements by Cox & ( ’ox
Funeral Chapel.
Michael Tillery
Broker
503.975.8004
michael@ bridgetownrealty.com
NORTHWEST VOICE OF CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH
Please call me, your neighborhood
specialist, for any o f your Real Estate
needs. My success is built on a
com m itm ent to quality service.
B ishop I L L . H o d g e, P h .I) .
Pastor/Teaelter/Kevivalisl
W h a t:
"The Voice Speaks"
* A D if ie r e n , L o c a tio n *
Now at Emmanuel C(X1ICU
48(H) NE 30,h Avenue, Portland. OR 9 7 2 11
W h e re :
Finish Line Automotive, LLC
where honesty and quality matter
W hen:
Jason Sharp
Sundays 8:00 A.M. W orship Service
BRID G ETO W N
r REALTY 1
W ednesdays 7:(H) P.M. Bible Study
Bishop Hodge and Congregation invite everyone Io
join us at our appointment with Jesus.
1033 NE 82rvd Ave
Portland, OR 97220
We Reach, Teach. & Preach in Jesus' Name!!!
Phone: 503-254-1216
FAX. 503-261-7361
E- mail;Finlineauto@aol.com
To inquire about our Training Ministry call 5 0 3 - 8 6 3 - 6 5 4 5
or email: hodgehspksi« m sn.com
I t ’ s H a p p e n in g EVERY S unday
It’s not your standard funeral home...
it’s the new standard in funeral homes.
MATT DISHM AN C O M M U N ITY C EN TER
F R E E S oup & S a l a d B ar @ 2 pm
C o m m unity C hurch S ervice @ 3 pm
S p o n s o r e d
RRY FAMILY
by
royal P riestho o d
M in istr ies
FUNERAL H O M
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I n D is h m a n ' s A u d it o r iu m
7 7 NE K n o t t
In a business where things seemingly slay
the same, a change has taken place. A
change that may raise the bar on the
level of service a family can experience
from a funeral home.
T erry
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You see, when we
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Pas Kevin Jenkins
W W W .R O Y A L P M .O R G
Sis. Patrma Jenkins
E v e r y o n e is W e l c o m e !!! J u st C o m e a s You A r e !!!
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