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JOHN J. SMYER, YOUNGEST OF THE TWO SONS OF THE LATE REV. DR. JOHN J. SMYER AND MRS. MARY A. GARLAND SMYER, AND HUSBAND OF BONITA M. SMYER - HIS WIFE OF FOURTEEN AND ONE/HALF YEARS - PASSED AWAY ON JANUARY 13, 1984.


JOHN J. SMYER - OR J.J. AS WE AFFECTIONATELY CALLED HIM - WAS THE LAST OF A LONG LINE OF DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE SMYER FAMILY. HIS MOTHER WAS ONE OF TWO LADIES WHO FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF A GROUP WHOSE INITIAL EFFORTS RESULTED IN THE CALDWELL A.M.E. ZION CONNECTION. UPON HIS GRADUATION FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY IN 1900, J.J'S FATHER BECAME THE YOUNGEST BISHOP IN THE HISTORY OF THE A.M.E ZION CHURCH AT THAT TIME. ALSO, HIS BROTHER - THE LATE DR. A. GARLAND SMYER - WAS ONE OF WASHINGTON, D.C.'S PROMINENT DENTISTS. HIS SISTER - THE LATE EDWINE SYMER HEYWARD - EARNED A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE FROM NEW YORK UNIVERSITY WHICH ENABLED HER TO FIRST BECOME DIRECTOR, AND LATER THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING AT LINCOLN HOSPITAL. J. J. ATTENDED FORDHAM AND COLUMBIA UNIVERSITIES AND HAD A DISTINGUISHED CAREER, INCLUDING SERVING AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS, J. J. WAS AN AVID GOLFER. HOWEVER, LATER IN HIS LIFE HE SUPPLANTED HIS GOLFING WITH TRAVELLING. HOWEVER, NO MATTER WHERE HE LIVED, J. J. LOVED TO ENTERTAIN. HIS PARTIES LENT SPICE TO EACH SOCIAL SEASON. HIS OTHER INDOOR ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE READING OF NUMEROUS DAILY NEWSPAPERS AND POPULAR PERIODICALS. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE PRINCE HALL MASONIC LODGE POSSESSING A SHRINER'S DEGREE.
J. J. IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE BONITA, SISTER-IN-LAW, AND A MYRIAD OF LOVING FRIENDS, WHO WILL SORELY MISS HIS INFECTIOUS SMILE, HIS GRACIOUS PERSONALITY AND WARM LOVE. THEY WILL FEEL, IN RETROSPECT, THAT HIS PASSING IS NOT JUST A LOSS, BUT THAT HIS LIFE HAS BEE AN ENORMOUS PLUS TO ALL WHOSE LIVES WERE TOUCHED BY HIM.

MAY HE REST IN PEACE AMONGST
THE HARPS AND HALOS OF HEAVEN.

ALBERT G. OLIVER
1928-1983
DR. ALBERT G. OLIVER WAS BORN AND EDUCATED IN NEW YORK CITY. HE RECEIVED BACCALAUREATE AND MASTERS DEGREES FROM THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND COMPLETED A PH.D. AT ST JOHN'S UNIVERSITY IN 1978.

HE SERVED AS A LIEUTENANT IN THE KOREAN WAR FROM 1951-1953 AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS. HE RETIRED AS A MAJOR FROM THE U.S. ARMY RESERVE.

AS A DISTINGUISHED AND DEDICATED EDUCATOR, HE SPENT MOST OF HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE IN THE NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION. AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH, HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AFFAIRS. TO ALL OF HIS ENDEAVORS HE BROUGHT A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.

DR. OLIVER WAS EQUALLY DEVOTED TO OPERATION CROSSROADS AFRICA. FROM 1972-1981 HE SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CROSSROADS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AS A STALWART LIFE MEMBER OF KAPPA ALPHA PSI FRATERNITY, HE SERVED WITH DISTINCTION AS POLEMARCH OF THE OMICROM CHAPTER FROM 1954-1956. DURING THE PAST 28 YEARS HE HELD OTHER POSTS INCLUDING POLEMARCH OF THE NORTH EASTERN PROVINCE FROM 1968-1974.

HIS TIME AND ENERGY WERE CONTRIBUTED TO NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS. HE SERVED ON BOARDS OF SEVERAL OF THESE INCLUDING THE RICHARD ALLEN CENTER FOR CULTURAL ARTS, THE ONE HUNDRED BLACK MEN AND THE EAST BRONX CHAPTER OF THE NAACP. HIS MEMBERSHIPS IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WERE EXTENSIVE.
DR. OLIVER WAS RECIPENT OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AWARDS AND PROFESSIONAL HONORS THAT ATTESTED TO HIS SKILLS, HIS COMMITTMENTS AND HIS LABORS ON BEHALF OF HIS COMMUNITY, HIS FAMILY AND THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.

HE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS MEMORY, HIS WIFE, ISABEL; A DAUGHTER, MELANIE; TWO SONS, JEFFREY AND CHRISTOPHER; HIS MOTHER, ROSE; TWO BROTHERS, WALLACE C. AND RUSSEL J.; A SISTER, JOYCE; THREE NIECES, ROBIN, CHRISTINA, AND MRS. JUANITA FARRELL; TWO NEPHEWS, ROBERT AND EMANUEL; AND A HOST OF OTHER RELATIVES, CO-WORKERS, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.

Johnny Hartman

Johnny Hartman was born in Louisiana and raised in Chicago. He attended DuSable High School and Wilson Jr. College while studying music as Lincoln Center. After winning an amateur singers contest, he began to concentrate on performing. 

In his illustrious career, Johnny Hartman performed in such countries as Japan, England, Australia, Germany and America, working sometimes with such greats as Earl Hines, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane and Billy Taylor. In addition to live performances, Johnny recorded numerous albums and in later years enriched his career through dramatic stage performances.

Johnny was the recipient of numerous awards including the grammy nomination for best jazz vocal performer for 1981 and best male vocalist from the New York Jazz awards 1980.

But Johnny was more than an entertainer. In the words of Jorge Cravo, a fan and a great artist in his own right, Johnny was a "sincere man, a sincere friend, a fine human being, a gentleman, a generous human being, a brother."

Johnny Hartman is survived by his wife of twenty-six years, Theodora, his children, Tedi and Lori; and his grandson, Brandyn Maurice. The youngest of six children, Johnny is also survived by his sister, Helen; his brother, Herman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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