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Robert Sherman Receives Presidential Award
Dr. Robert Sherman holds the the Lifetime Achievement Award that he received in May 2024 from President Joe Biden. Click here for an article about Dr. Sherman from Grand Canyon University where he teaches. Street Lighting Grant Won Christ Church New Brighton Accepts $10,000 Grant for Two Liberian School Complexes
During civil wars that started in 1989 and ended in 2003, many Liberians left their homes and immigrated to the United States. A large Liberian community took root on Staten Island; the strong presence of the Episcopal Church in Liberia created an influx of Liberians to Episcopal churches here. Christ Church New Brighton (CCNB) developed a relationship with the Episcopal Elementary School and the Episcopal High School in Cape Mount County, and St. Agnes School and St. Augustine School in Lofa County, thanks to the leadership of Richard Zayzay and William Sherman. Their passion convinced CCNB to stand with them to rebuild these schools. Christ Church New Brighton asked the Episcopal Diocese of New York's Sustainable Development Goals Fund for a $10,000 grant to purchase and install solar streetlights at the two sets of schools. The total cost is $15,002--the alumni groups were able to raise an additional $5,000 for the project. The new streetlights will make it possible for townspeople and the teachers, many of whom stay overnight at the schools, to move through the complexes safely at night and prevent vandalism and theft—particularly of zinc roof panels and planks, which thieves take to roof their own homes. On October 10, Bill and Richard were awarded a $10,000 grant at the Sustainable Development Goals conference at St. John the Divine Cathedral. Christ Church will hold and pay out the monies to the contractors and suppliers in Liberia. Our congratulations to the EHS-EES Alumni Association and the Bolahun Worldwide Organization! Death Announcements Victoria R. Cole "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live....'" John 11:25 The officers and members of EHS/EES extend deepest sympathy to Ms. Evangeline T. Blamo-Smith, for the death of her dear sister, the late Victoria R. Cole. Victoria died on August 4th and has since been buried. May her soul rest in perfect peace. Please reach out to Evangeline on the WhatsApp platform. Thomas W. Sherman “If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So, living or dying, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8 Tom, as he was affectionately called, belonged to the Lord and He called him home on July 6, 2020, in Kiel, Germany. With profound sadness yet abiding faith in the Lord, the Sherman, Kiahon, Dempster, Fahnbulleh, Senwah, Burphy, Walker, Gray-Wayne and related families announce the homegoing of their father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and cousin. Please visit TLC Africa for details. Emmanuel P. Sherman Fellow Alumni, Greetings! With a deep sense of loss, the Sherman, Kiahon and related families have announced the death of Emmanuel P. Sherman. Please visit TLC Africa for details. Emmanuel graduated from our Alma Mater; accordingly, we encourage those who live in Maryland and its environs to attend his Memorial Service and/or call and express condolences to family members that are listed in the death announcement. Mournfully, Roderick G. Smith (Oso) and Alexander Wilkins (Chuke) Fellow Alumni, With profound sadness, the families of Roderick G. Smith (Oso) and Alexander Wilkins (Chuke) have announced their deaths. Visit TLC Africa for details. Many of us will recall our adolescence years on St. John’s with Oso and Chuke where we engaged in recreational, academic, religious and disciplinary activities that transformed us, indeed, adequately prepared us for the vicissitudes of life. While we mourn their loss, let us treasure our time at our Alma Mater. Sincerely, Dr. Robert G. Sherman Mother Marilyn K. Robertson is Dead Fellow Alumni, Greetings! On behalf of the Membership & Outreach Committee, I have the painful obligation to share with you the death of our Matriarch, Mrs. Robertson. This sad event occurred on Friday, February 22 at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in her adopted homeland, Liberia. Albert Einstein once noted that “the value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” Both Marilyn and her husband, the venerable E. Bolling Robertson who predeceased her, generously gave their time, resources, energies and talents that groomed us. When she was in good health, Mother Robertson attended our annual reunions and shared precious memories about our adolescent years at St. John’s and the House of Bethany. She encouraged other missionaries to do likewise and they did to our delight. With her passing, we have lost a true crusader for our cause. This is a shared and an irreparable loss for our Alma Mater. Words, however kind, cannot capture the depth of our grief, sorrow and heartache for the home going of Mrs. Robertson. But let us find solace in her kindness, smiles, and many acts of generosity over the years, indeed, her legacy. Robert Burns once wrote, “The voice of nature loudly cries… that something in us never dies.” Let that something be the warmest memories of our beloved Marilyn. Ladies & Gentlemen, as we receive details about the funeral arrangements, we will share them with you and discuss ways in which we can effectively participate. For now, let’s keep Mother Robertson and the bereaved family in our thoughts and prayers. May her soul rest in perfect peace. Mournfully, Momo “MO” R. Sambola With a deep sense of loss, the families of “MO” have announced a Memorial Service for him that is scheduled on March 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, PA where he lived and died. Please visit TLC Africa for details. Momo was an active and productive member of our Alumni Association; accordingly, we encourage all those who live in Philadelphia and its environs to attend the memorial service as a demonstration of our affection for “MO”. He will be sorely missed. Sincerely, Awards and Honors Feweh Sherman Honored on Staten Island Ladies & Gentlemen, Our President Emeritus and Chair of our Reconstruction Committee, Wm. Feweh Sherman, has been nominated for a prestigious award. The Staten lsland Council of Churches Awards Dinner will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at the Old Bermuda Inn, 2512 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island, NY 10309, from 6 to 9 p.m. Christ Church's honorees are William (Bill) Sherman, Senior Warden, and Kristin Parrish. If you are interested in coming to the ceremony, please make your reservations soon by calling Staten Island Council of Churches at 718 761 6782. Tickets are $55 and checks should be made out to Staten Island Council of Churches. Your support of this event will help provide scholarships to deserving students through our scholarship fund. Given Feweh’s dedication to and love for our Alma Mater, it behooves us to strongly support him. Simply put, he richly deserves this award. Please share this information with your contacts. Sincerely, Robert Sherman Nominated Robert Sherman was nominated as "a highly qualified individual" in the Community Advocacy category for the 5th Annual Voices Magazine Awards. Congratulations on the nomination! Archive Anna N. Sherman With profound sadness, the Sherman Family in the United States and Liberia has announced the home going of Anna N. Sherman. This sad event occurred on May 18, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey (USA). She was an alumnus of our Alma Mater. For more details about Anna and the funeral arrangements, please visit TLC Africa. Mournfully, Mattie-Mae Nebo Abdullai
Fellow Alumni, Greetings! With profound sadness, the Abdullai, Nebo and Urey families have announced the death of Mattie-Mae, which occurred on September 21, 2016. She was the wife of our President, Sam Abdullai, Sr. Albert Einstein once noted that “the value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” Both Sam and Mattie-Mae have generously given their time, resources, energies and talents to the restoration of our Alma Mater. With her passing, we have lost a true crusader for our cause. This is a shared and an irreparable loss for the referenced families, and our Alumni Association. Words, however kind, cannot capture the depth of our grief, sorrow and heartache for the home going of Mattie-Mae. But let us find solace in her kindness, smiles, and many acts of generosity over the years. Sam, may you and the family find strength and comfort in the many caring thoughts and warm embrace of the EES-EHS Alumni Association during these difficult times and always. Robert Burns once wrote, “The voice of nature loudly cries……that something in us never dies.” Let that something be the warmest memories of our beloved Mattie-Mae. Ladies & Gentlemen, let’s continue our outreach to Sam at 763-438-1462 or 651-490-7717. In the same vein, if you wish to send a card, please note his address below. For funeral details, visit the Death Announcements on TLC Africa and click on Mattie-Mae Nebo Abdullai. Mournfully, Condolences to: The home-going of Mattie-Mae Abdullai, the late wife of the Association's President, Samuel Abdullai, took place in Minnesota on October 7 and 8. May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed rest in perfect peace.
Rev. Fr. Charles Letombor Paasewe
The Paasewe Family in the United States and Liberia announce with deep regrets the home going of Rev. Fr. Charles Letombor Paasewe, Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Paynesville, Monrovia, Liberia. This sad event occurred on June 16th, 2016 at John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. Upon his graduation from the Gbanga School of Theology (GST), he was ordained Deacon on November 1, 1989 and priest on May 8, 1990. The Rev. Fr. C. Letombor Paasewe became Rector of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in the 1990’s and served his parishioners faithfully. Under his leadership, the Church of the Good Shepherd has increased its membership. He leaves to mourn his beloved wife Gloria Boayue Paasewe, his children; Alma Teta Thompson (T-Toe), Izena Mingo Jones, Adjeiley Obedekah Taylor (Antwan) of the United States, and Ngafua Kollie of Liberia, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, uncles, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends from Liberia, Sierra Leone, United States and Australia. Rev. Fr. Charles Letombor Paasewe was predeceased by his parents Mr. J. Bai Paasewe Sr. and Mrs. Irene J. Paasewe and his sister Ronate Paasewe-Smith. For more on the viewing and funeral, see TLC Africa. Ronate T. Smith
Sylvanus Corneh It is with great sadness that the Corneh, Kpaka, Gray, Freeman, Fahnbulleh, Kemokai, Johnson, MBande, Massaquoi, Kamara, Sherman, and Tunnis families, announce the loss of our patriarch, Mr. Sylvanus Corneh, son of Samuel V. Corneh and Margreta Gray Corneh. He passed away peacefully in his 75th year at Sligo Rehab Center in Takoma Park, Maryland, USA, on Wednesday, December 16, 2015. He was an alumnus and a brother of our venerable treasurer, Bill Paasewe. Please call Bill at 404-822-6840 and offer words of comfort during these difficult times. The order of funeral services is shown below. I encourage those who can to please attend these activities and console the family. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations should be made to Grace Corneh, at Bank of America, USA savings account number: 446009121777. Viewing and Funeral Service:
Saturday, January 9, 2016 Viewing and Funeral Service will be held at: Internment: Sincerely, Rebuilding Our Alma Mater: An Appeal from Dr. Robert G. Sherman Fellow Alumni, Greetings! The genesis of our beloved Alma Mater was a trip that Bishop Charles C. Penick, a missionary and visionary from the United States, made to Robertsport, Cape Mount in 1878 to establish an Episcopal Mission and School. During the intervening years, other missionaries.... journeyed to St. Johns and the House of Bethany with the singular purpose of advancing what Bishop Penick started. They were joined by an equally committed cadre of Liberians.... Together, these stalwart individuals built a Citadel of learning in Robertsport that was the envy of the nation in terms of academic excellence and discipline. It attracted students from every region of Liberia who graduated and went on to become many of the nation’s best agriculturalists, chemists, clergy, dentists, diplomats, engineers, educators, economists, entrepreneurs, geologists, lawyers, medical doctors, nurses, and politicians. This is the history of our Alma Mater--indeed, quite exemplary. This is what was destroyed by a senseless and protracted civil war. For us, the Civil War was particularly devastating, as it destroyed that shining Citadel on Cape Mount that quenched the academic thirst of Liberians for more than a century. Click here to read the entire letter (in PDF format)... Wedding Announcements Rev. Fr. John Edgar Freeman and Dr. Deborah Harmon Hines
The Alumni Association congratulates two newlyweds: The groom is Rev. Fr. John Edgar Freeman, Vice President, Liberian Chapter, St. John's Alumni Association (EES/EHS). The bride is Dr. Deborah Harmon Hines, Vice Provost for School Services & Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. The wedding took place at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, North Grafton, Massachusetts, on December 14, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
The reception was held at the Beachwood Hotel.
Rev. Mother Flemister delivered the homily. George Boima Freeman, Rev. Freeman's brother, and George A.M. Brooks, Rev. Freeman's brother-in-law, were best men. Mother Marilyn K. Robertson, Pauline Carrick from Port Hope, Canada, who were sponsors of Edgar, attended the wedding. Margaret Ann Woods and Carmela Polanik were Matrons of Honor. The celebrant was the rector of the church, The Rev. Laura B. Goodwin; Deacon Rev. Delores Nicholson, read the Gospel. Also in the wedding party were sons of the bride, Christopher Hines and Damion Hines, and the Eucharistic Minister, June Lufki. Death Announcements William T. Bruce, Sr. The Bruce Family has announced the “Grand Home-Going” of William T. Bruce, Sr., Class of 1942. This sad event occurred on April 10, 2015, at his home in Monrovia, Liberia. Borbor Bruce, as he was affectionately known to many, served his beloved Alma Mater with diligence and fortitude. For many years, he represented us in Liberia by spearheading our rebuilding efforts. Whenever his visits to the US coincided with our Annual Reunions, he attended them and inspired us to “give back” to our Alma Mater so that the next generation would benefit as we did. In the same vein, several of his children, namely, Glen, Ernie, Johnny, Bill and Oso attended the Episcopal High School. His steadfast love for his Alma Mater is reflected by the fact that even though he was born in Peblo, Maryland County, and lived in Monrovia, he requested that his final resting place be St. John’s on April 24, 2015. What a remarkable demonstration of love, indeed, a legacy worth emulating. Borbor Bruce epitomized the spirit of our Alma Mater, thus his loss is a shared loss. Given this and, in these difficult times, the family will be comforted by a phone call which I strongly recommend. Please call Ernie at 231-886-876051 or Bill at 231-886-475056 or Oso at 231-886-275219 and offer condolences. Sincerely, James Theodore Wilson With a deep sense of loss, the Wilson family has announced the death of James Theodore Wilson, Class of 1967. This sad event occurred on December 8, 2014, in Highpoint, North Carolina. Funeral services for Tutu-Boy, as we affectionately called him, is shown below. We encourage those who can to please participate in these services. During these difficult times, a phone call from you will be uplifting and comforting to the family. You may contact Jacob Wilson (brother) at 916-548-8335 and Selena Wilson (widow) at 336-889-2041 and sympathize. Sincerely, Beatrice Georgia Nevins Williams We are sad to report that Beatrice Georgia Williams, humanitarian, educator, and an alumna of the House of Bethany Episcopal School for Girls, passed on April 11, 2014. Her funeral was held on April 19 at the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Forestville, Maryland (http://www.epiphanyforestville.org/). C. Gyude Bryant With profound sadness, the Bryant and Carr families have announced the death of Gyude Bryant, former student of EHS as well as Ex-Interim President of Liberia. This sad event occurred on April 16, 2014 at the J.F.K. Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. Funeral services for Wes Gyud, as we affectionately called him, will be held over the weekend of May 9th in Monrovia. We encourage everyone to sympathize with the bereaved family by contacting Dr. Kate Bryant at conah@aol.com. Dr. Bryant is a member of our Executive Board and a sister of our dearly departed. Robert G. Sherman David G. Giddings Our Secretary, Bendu Fahnbulleh-Giddings, has announced the death of her husband, David G. Giddings. This sad event occurred on December 26, 2013 and he will be interred on January 18, 2014. Bendu is an invaluable member of our association; thus, it behooves us to support her during her bereavement. Please call and console her and/or make a donation. Contact information: 651-278-0423 (cell) or 651-278-0423 (home). Robert G. Sherman Thelma A. Morgan The Morgan family has announced the death of Thelma A. Morgan, former teacher of French, English and Literature at our Alma Mater. She passed away on September 29, 2013, in Maryland at the home of her sister, Dolly Labor. Below are the funeral arrangements. Viewing & Wake: October 18, 2013 Funeral Services: October 19, 2013 Thelma was an excellent and devoted teacher who triggered our love and admiration for her. Because of this, we encourage all alumni in Maryland and its environs to participate in the funeral services as a demonstration of our appreciation for her contributions to our Alma Mater. For additional information, please contact her sister, Dolly Labor at 301-809-1151. Hawah P. Kromah With profound sadness, the Kromah family announces the death of Hawa P. Kromah, former Alumnus of EES/EHS and Class of 1962. She passed away on Thursday, September 19, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. Below are the funeral arrangements. Wake Keeping: October 18, 2013 Funeral Services & Repast: October 19, 2013 An account has been established at Wells Fargo bank for donations to assist in defraying her funeral expenses. Please donate generously. The routing number is: 061000227. The account number is: 7837165179. The name on the account is: Ellen Freeman-Clemons. For additional information, please contact these individuals. Bill Paasewe : 404-822-6840 |
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