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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Savannah Student Honors Teacher’s 48 Years
Of Teaching Through Art
Shelter From the Rain Needs 100 Churches For
Single Moms
On Monday, Feb 20,
2023, students, teachers, and
parents of St. James Catholic
School in Savannah Georgia,
received a heartbreaking email
from their principal. Ms. Bar
bara Golden, their beloved 6th
grade teacher, had unexpect
edly passed away. Ms. Golden
spent 48 years mentoring and
teaching students in the Cath
olic Diocese of Savannah. She
spent 46 years (1977 - 2023)
teaching the 6th grade at St.
James Catholic School.
Upon hearing the
news, 7th grade student Ele
na Quick (12), a quiet, bud
ding artist, thought to herself,
“there was no way I was go
ing to let Ms. Golden just be
gone”. Full of inspiration,
Elena decided she had to ‘do
something’. Over the course
of the next week Elena began
to sketch. The sketch became a
drawing. The drawing became
Elena’s first ever portrait. “It
didn’t matter if you were the
most popular kid - or the most
quiet - Ms. Golden truly SAW
every student she taught.” said
Elena Quick (12) “There is an
American Artist named Ed
ward Hopper that said - “If I
could say it with words, there
would be no reason to paint.”
I’m still working on “saying it
with words” - but when I found
out Ms. Golden passed, I knew
the one thing I could do was
paint.”
Elena’s Mom post
ed Elena’s art on social media
along with a dedication that
Elena wrote:
“I was inspired to paint in an
impressionistic style because
of the impression Ms. Golden
had on me, all my classmates,
and every student she ever
taught. With each stroked
hope you see the students that
she taught here, the way she
saw and inspired us.”
Looking ahead, Elena
said she will continue studying
art as she has hopes of attend
ing Savannah Arts Academy
for high school.
Young Elena’s paint
ing was displayed at FINE
ARTS NIGHT at Saint Vin
cent’s Academy on Monday,
March 6, 2023. From there,
the painting will be on display
in the Saint James Catholic
School library until the end of
the 2023 school year, where it
will join various works of stu
dent art and writings in honor
of Ms. Barbara Golden. At
the end of the school year the
painting will be given to Ms.
Golden’s son Will Martin as a
gift to the family.
Free Community Health Fair on
Saturday, March 11th!
The Beta Phi Lamb- improvement, in cooperation
da Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha with Curtis V. Cooper Pub-
Fraternity, Inc., in its continued lie Health Center and Butler
committment to community Presbyterian Church, 603 W.
Thank You For Reading
The Savannah Tribune
www.sa vannahtribune .com
Victory Drive, will host a free,
open community health fair on
Saturday, March 11th, 2023, at
Butler Presbyterian, from 10am
to 1pm. The health fair will be
comprised of free blood pres
sure, blood sugar, heart health
and weight screenings, as well
as information on where to re
ceive COVID-19 shots. No ap
pointments are needed.
Reserve your seat today!
uwce.org/wwr2023
Presented By
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TUE MAR 14 2023 SAVANNAH
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11:30 AM - 1:30 PM CENTER
United Way
of the Coastal Empire
Celebrating a
driving force and
woman of
distinction
KAY FORD
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
WE OFFER
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Mr H TOR 5 HIP
Pastor Charles Roberson, Jennifer T. Graham (SFTR Executive Director) and Pastor
Yolanda Roberson (Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship)
Shelter From the
Rain is a 501c3 non-profit in
Savannah, GA that empowers
single Moms through educa
tion, mentorship, personal and
professional development,
homeownership, health and
wellness. We have a Diaper
Bank, Support Group, Mentor
ship Program and several other
resources for single Moms.
This ministry began
in 2010 at Savannah Church
of God and we are so grateful
for all the churches who have
helped us since that time.
Now, we would like
to partner with more church
es to increase our impact and
bless more single parent fam
ilies in our community. For
more information, please visit:
www.shelterfromtherain .com/
churches
Savannah Philharmonic and Savannah Music
Festival in support of the City’s plan to
Renovate the Johnny Mercer Theatre
March 1, 2023,
The Savannah Philharmonic
(SavPhil) and Savannah Mu
sic Festival (SMF) attended a
presentation from architect and
urban planner Christian Sottile
at a City Council meeting last
spring where a plan was pre
sented for the redevelopment
of the Civic Center site down
town. The proposed plan in
cludes the largest restoration of
the Oglethorpe Plan in Savan
nah’s history, returning six of
the 10 blocks that were lost in
Elbert and Orleans wards when
the Civic Center was built in
1972. In order to do so, the
Martin Luther King Jr. Arena
would be demolished, but the
Johnny Mercer Theatre would
remain standing and undergo a
full renovation to incorporate
contemporary technology and
performance industry-standard
acoustics, as well as a complete
decor makeover.
As understanding and
momentum build around the
proposed plan for the current
Savannah Civic Center, the
SavPhil and SMF fully support
the renovation of the historic
Johnny Mercer Theatre. The
theater offers an infrastructure
that, if lost, would be expensive
to recreate and would prohibit
certain performances from tak
ing place in Savannah. Further,
it is a very important gathering
place for our community.
The Johnny Mercer
Theatre is part of an important
portfolio of entertainment ven
ues, including the Enmarket
Arena, the Lucas Theatre for
the Arts, and Trustees Theater,
among others, that provide a
broad range of entertainment
options. Each space serves a
unique function allowing dif
ferent types of presentations.
Within this portfolio, the Mer
cer has an infrastructure that
none of the others have, includ
ing a large-scale fly system—a
pulley system that allows scen
ery backdrops and lighting
to be moved in and out for a
Broadway-caliber theatrical
performance such as Phantom
of the Opera. Many Broadway
shows also require an orchestra
pit, which it has, and the seat
ing capacity of 2,566 is also the
perfect size for acts
While the decision to
move forward with the project
has not yet been voted on and
determined, and completion of
the proposed Mercer project
would be years away, now is
the time for crucial conversa
tions and key planning meet
ings between the City of Sa
vannah and arts organizations
from the Savannah community
to emphasize the importance of
the Mercer, discuss potential
uses for a renovated theater,
and ensure that the needs of the
arts community are met.
& 4 * ^ Obituary For £** m \
V f Ruth Christine Kumagai V
Kit (If Christine Kumagai {Yoke) died February 26,
2023, in Washington, DC. Christine, or Chris as she was
known io family and friends, was born January t, 1924,
in Johnstown, PA, to Hiram Stanford Yohc and Frieda
(Paul) Yohe. Growing up in Chevy Chase. MD, during
the Great Depression, she learned the value of hand work
and frugality, Christine was a big baseball fan and
enjoyed going to Washington Senators games with her
father 70 yearn later, she could still remember the team’s '
lineups. After graduating from Bclhcsda/Chcvy Chase
high school in 1941, Christine attended the Pennsylvania
Slate University. She pursued a special wartime
accelerated program to obtain her bachelor's degree in
seven semesters and graduated wilh honors in 1944.
Christine then enlisted in the U.S. Navy, determined to do
her part during World War IL After graduating from'
Midshipmen’s School and receiving her commission, she
was sent to communications school and assigned to a
facility on the National Mall in Washington, DC. where
Is handling sensitive communications. At the end of the
war, Christine was transferred to the Bureau of Ordinance, where she worked as a
Communications Officer and was promoted to Second Lieutenant.
After being released to Inactive Duly in 1946,Christine remained in the Naval Reserve
for many years while obtaining her MB.A, in Industrial Relations from the Wharton
School of the University of Pennsylvania. Christine began her professional career as a
personnel manager at ihe R.H, Donnelley Company in New York City, NY. where she met
the love of her life and future husband, Ray Kumagai. Christine left R.H. Donnelly to join
an executive training program at Macy's Department Store in New York City, where she'
worked for several years before moving into the higher education field. She became
Assistant Dean of Women at her alma mater, the Pennsylvania Stale University, and later
Dean of Women at both Wagner College in New York and Juniata College in Pennsylvania.
Christine felt strongly about the importance of education for women and used her position
to encourage and advocate for women to pursue all fields of study, including business and
the sciences.
I |
On July 11,1964, she courageously married Ray Kumagai, entering into an interracial
marriage in the face of opposition from many. Their marriage was a rare love affair, and.,
they were inseparable for the next 46 years, until Ray's death in 2010- In 1969, their
daughter, Sucko Elizabeth, was bom. Christine and Ray were very proud of her and loved
her dearly. The family moved to Mendham, NJ, in 1972 and Christine became very active
in the community. She served on (he P.T.A., volunteered in various capacities al Hilltop
Presbyterian Church, and spent several terms as President of the School Board. One of the
joys of Christine’s life was having her father live with them in Mendham, so he could
watch his granddaughter grow up. She loved dogs and adopted 4 during her life with Ray:
Bootsie, Zachary, B rigid. and Charlie. Christine loved traveling, from the annual trips to
the Jersey Shore to overseas vacations throughout Europe and Mexico. Some of her
favorite experiences included the 350th Oberammergau celebration in Germany; touring
tbe Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia; an Alaskan cruise; and countless trips to visit '
family and friends throughout the continental U.S, and Hawaii,
~ Christine and Ray retired to Savannah, GA, in 1993. where they lived in the Landings on
Skidnw&y Island, They were founding members of Messiah Lutheran Church there and
were active participants in the ministry of the church. Christine's faith was a guiding force
in her life, and she believed that actions spoke louder than words. Compassion for people
suffering from hunger, abuse, or violence inspired her volunteer work with Lutheran
Services of Georgia (LSG), America’s Second Harvest, and Savannah SAFE Shelter for
women and children affected by domestic abuse. She was particularly devoted to Open 1
Arms, an LSG ministry which supported young mothers struggling with addiction; she
enjoyed providing core and support to these women and especially loved spending time
caring for their infants.
Christine was preceded in death by her parents, her infant sister Catherine, and her loving
husband Ray, as welt as her best friend and sorority sister of more than 70 years, Bea
McCord. She is survived by her daughter Sueko Kumagai and son-in-law Paul Maiorana
of Cheverly, MD. An internment ceremony will be held at a later date at Messiah Lutheran
Church in Savannah, GA, tn lieu of flowers, please cons ider making a donation to Lutheran
Services of Georgia (now known as Inspirit us) at https: //wei nspirit.org/sftvannah or to
Messiah Lutheran Church of Skidaway Island at hups:ffmessiahsi.org/donate/. ^ 1