®li* ^Ìortlanò (Observer
Page 16
March 02, 2011
Photographer, Musician and Mentor Remembered
He was bom Dec. 25, 1947, in able to move to Portland.
in 1965 where he was an
Vanport, the second of six children
During his youth, Nick attended e x cellen t stu d en t and
A funeral for Nick Christmas III, to loving parents, Nick and Vera M. John Ball, Portsmouth, Beach, High­ earned all-city honors in
who died Feb. 19,2011, was held on (Minor) Christmas Jr. He was just land and Sabin Elementary Schools wrestling, including a state
Saturday, filling Maranatha Church five months old when the Vanport and excelled at playing baseball. He cham pionship. He also
in northeast Portland.
Hood occurred, and his family was graduated from Grant High School really enjoyed playing in
the Grant Marching Band
where he discovered his
love of drums and began
Portland
nurturing his musical talents.
C hildren’s
After high school, he moved to
Seattle to work as a machinist for the
Boeing Company. N ick’s first goal
*
Kindergarten - 5th Grade
was to save his paychecks until he
purchased his mother’s dream gift,
a Sterling Silver Punch Bowl. Nick
A public c h a rte r school supporting q u ality academ ics by in tro d u c in g th e arts and
enjoyed his job and his magnetic
sciences as languages o f c o m m u n ic a tio n an d tools o f th e im ag in atio n .
charisma won him many friends. His
ties to family spurred his return to
Lottery application available starting March 1:
P o rtlan d . He w o rk ed fo r the
- online at portlandcm.org
Bonneville Power Administration
- at the Museum
for 36 years as a cartographer, pho­
-orcall (503) 471-9917
tographer and historian. He also
served his BPA colleagues as an
Applications are due (not postmarked) at the
Equal Employment Opportunity
Museum by close of business, March 31, 201 1
specialist. Nick retired in 2009.
His personal passion was pho­
tography, videography, historical
restorations and preservation of
photos for family and friends. He
was actively involved as a master
photographer for the World Arts
Foundation, Inc.; and as a volun­
teer for community-based initiatives
to include improving the conditions
of local neighborhoods, and the
physical health, well-being, and
preservation of Portland’s commu­
nities and its citizens.
He volunteered countless hours
to the annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Nick Christmas III
Opal School
Celebratine! Purim
ir m i)
f
It
Come
join us
on this
t
BI
I V
ight of
urim
Friday, March 18th at 7pm
New Song Community Center
2511NE MIK Blvd.
Corner of NE MLK Blvd and Bussell Street
Doors open at 6pm for every service.
For directions or more information, call 503-488-5481
or log on to www.mfhmportlaniLcom
c e le b ra tio n , and the
Vanport, Guiles Lake and
New Columbia historical
projects, among others.
He was a freelance histo­
rian for the Portland Ob­
server and Skanner news­
papers.
Nick was a consummate
drummer, musician and jazz aficio­
nado. He loved music and played a
mean set of drums with several bands,
and with numerous noted artists
throughout the local community and
beyond.
He was dedicated to helping
people through his gifts and talents,
but also as a husband, son, brother,
friend and loving father, as well as a
faithful member of and drummer for
Genesis Community Fellowship
Church. “Life begins and ends with
the beat of the heart... Keep the beat
alive,” was Nick’s mantra.
Preceding him in death were his
father, mother; and sister, Cheryl L.
Christmas. He leaves behind his de­
voted and much loved children,
daughters Rachel and Nicole Christ­
mas and Adrena Christmas Franklin;
and sons Darryl, Anthony, Centory
and Javary; 10 grandchildren, three
great grandchildren; siblings Rose
M. Christmas (Errol Brown), Velma
Christmas Johnson (Franklin B.),
Jarvis R. Christmas (Artie), and Noel
L. Christmas; and a host of nieces,
nephews, cousins and many, many
friends.
Arrangements entrusted to Terry
Family Funeral Home
In Loving Memory
Georgia Tillman
Georgia Tillman was
born on Sept. 25,1918 to
Willie and Alice Butler
in Hazlehurst, Miss. She
married George Byrd.
This union brought them
two children, W ilm a
Pauline Byrd and Willie
Zeal Byrd.
She met and married
Wiley Tillman, and to this union
bore two children, Alice Faye and
Wiley Ruth Tillman.
Mr. Wiley Tillman passed away
on Dec. 3,1958 in Chicago. Georgia,
Alice and Ruth moved to Portland in
1959, where they joined Wilma and
family.
Georgia was a homemaker and
loved to cook and helped to raise
her grandchildren. She played the
piano and was a loyal member of
Fellow ship M issionary Baptist
C h u rch w h ere she se rv ed as
Mother.
At the end of her life, she spent
her time at Porthaven Care Center in
Portland, where she was well loved
and well cared for. She
was a special resident
to everyone who came
in contact with her.
G eorgia leaves to
mourn her two daugh­
ters, W ilm a Pauline
(B yrd) G raham and
Wiley Ruth Tillman as
well as a host of grand­
children, great grand­
children, great great grandchildren,
nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by
first husband George Byrd, her hus­
band Wiley Tillman, her son Willie
Zeal Byrd, her daughter Alice Faye
Tillman and the Honorable former
Grand Master Mason and Deacon
Mr. Elijah Graham Sr.
She was and will be loved by all
of her fam ily and friends. Thank
you to all o f those who gave your
support and love, especially the
loving staff at Porthaven, all her
neighborhood friends, the M oth­
ers of Fellowship M issionary Bap­
tist Church and her beloved Pas­
tor Rev. Dr. Johnny Pack IV.