Here's a news flash: No soldier gives his life. That's not the way it works. Most soldiers who make a conscious decision to place themselves in harm's way do it to protect their buddies. They do it because of the bonds of friendship - and it goes so much deeper than friendship.
~ Eric Massa ~
Happy Birthday Charles ! Having served in the Air Force, you're totally familiar with the camaraderie and bonds of friendship established for trust and fellowship. During our days in high school, you established that bond of trust and fellowship with many of your classmates. May you enjoy your day of celebration and receive gifts of affinity, solidarity and brotherhood from your family and friends. "Thank You for Your Service" and continue to "Aim High", throughout this life's journey. May you have a "Good Soul Music" kind of day.....
BLESSED GREETINGS TO YOU BRO. KENNETH AND TO ALL MY WARRIOR NATION CLASSMATES. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE LORD HAS DONE, AS WELL AS YOUR TRUE LABOR OF LOVE FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO ON THE WEBSITE. YOU'VE BLESSED US IN SO MANY WAYS. I'M THANKFUL FOR HAVING TO BE IDENTYFIED WITH A GREAT CLASS FROM A SCHOOL OF GREAT HERITAGE AND TRADITION. AND MOST OF ALL FOR MY JOURNEY THAT HAS LED TO A GREATER HEIGHT IN THE LORD. THE COMBINATION OF BEING A "WARRIOR" AND A "SERVANT" IS ONE THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS, YOU JUST GOT TO BE THAT!!!! AGAIN BIG THANKS TO YOU AND TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!!!!!!!!!
"EXTENDING WORDS OF SYMPATHY TO THE JOHNSON FAMILY"
When you look at death, it makes you understand the importance of the moment when you have life and death in front of you, and you witness seeing someone deteriorating in front of you - it's an overwhelming experience. If you don't learn from that, I don't know what else you're gonna learn. ~ Mickalene Thomas ~
Recently,notification was received concerning the transition of another "Warrior Family Member",Wendell Johnson,aka"RED". He's the brother of our beloved trio of Johnson Sisters; Gwendolyn,Audrey and Anita.Red transitioned Sunday, April 14th.Final arrangements are presently incomplete and shall be posted to the website upon completion.Let us extend words of comfort and prayers to each of them,during this time of loss and sorrow.....
Changing the conversation about how Americans perceive veterans is really important. These are hardworking, dedicated, innovative people who deserve quality employment when they return home from their military service.
~ Rob Riggle ~
Happy Birthday James !
You are the embodiment and definition of a hardworking, dedicated and innovative veteran. Your served wherever and whenever our Nation called and provided selfless service and duty to country. Thank you for your service to this country as an Airman and Postal Employee. As you celebrate today with family and friends, may you receive blessings of enjoyment and all of the love, admiration and inspiration you rightly deserve. May you have a Blackbyrds "Happy Music" kind of day.....
Serenity is the balance between good and bad, life and death, horrors and pleasures. Life is, as it were, defined by death. If there wasn't death of things, then there wouldn't be any life to celebrate.
~ Norman Davies ~
A “Memorial Service” and “Celebration of Life”, has been scheduled to honor Mr. Wendell Johnson, brother of Gwendolyn, Audrey and Anita. Services will be held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, located at 280 Cynthia Place Memphis, TN 38126. The Memorial Services will begin at 5pm and continue until 7pm, Friday April 26, 2019. Repast begins at 7:30pm, followed by the “Celebration of Life”.
The Johnson family wishes to express sincere gratitude and thanks to you all. Your enduring love and support will always be remembered. We are eternally grateful and may God bless each and every one of you…..
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
~ Max De Pree ~
Thank you Minister Hunt for your kind words. Max De Pree was a businessman and writer and was definitely a realist and servant. You and I fall somewhere within that spectrum. To quote you specifically, "THE COMBINATION OF BEING A "WARRIOR" AND A "SERVANT" IS ONE THAT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS; YOU JUST GOT TO BE THAT!!!! " All that I am as one of the website administrators is based upon the observations/interactions that I experianced between the original administrator, Marilyn Sanders and myself. She had a difficult job, initially, but yet she persevered and set the example. Humbly, I acknowledge her example as I continue in her foot steps. To quote you once again, "I'M THANKFUL FOR HAVING TO BE IDENTYFIED WITH A GREAT CLASS FROM A SCHOOL OF GREAT HERITAGE AND TRADITION." We both know that the Lord is not finished with us yet, so let there be a healing within us all, that we may be continuously blessed. Take care my FRIEND, I'm still in between!!!
I have a loyalty that runs in my bloodstream, when I lock into someone or something, you can't get me away from it because I commit that thoroughly. That's in friendship, that's a deal, that's a commitment. Don't give me paper - I can get the same lawyer who drew it up to break it. But if you shake my hand, that's for life.
~ Jerry Lewis ~
Happy Birthday Gerald ! The friendships that you've established over the years can truely be determined as commitments. I know that ours has been. Your word has always been your bond, especially when combined with a handshake. Jerry Lewis may have been many characters, but most of all he was a HUMANITARIAN, much like yourself. As you celebrate your birthday today with family and friends, enjoy the spirit of loyalty and commitment that you richly deserve...May you have a Temptations "Soul to Soul" celebration ! ! !
Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly, a way of communicating. ~ Simon Sinek ~
Classmates of 1970 ! A survey related to the 50th CLASS REUNION has been posted to the website. It is listed underneath the "BTW ALUMNI EVENTS" on the upper left side of this page. This survey is being presented to capture what is of interest to you.
We are a core team of 13 individuals, who are making every effort possible, to give you the best in terms of a great and enjoyable reunion. The deadline for survey response is May 30, 2019. The Alumni Committee will host a Great three day Celebration for our 50th class reunion locally….details to follow.
Some of the choicest blessings of my life have been the close friendships I have experienced over the years. Often, these friendships have been forged in the fires of shared experience.
~ Joseph B. Wirthlin ~
Happy Birthday Bonnie ! You are indeed one of the choicest blessings that I have experianced in my lifetime. You are my FRIEND. We go way back to hanging out at Metropolitan and Ms. Wiggins house. The friendships that we have established with others as a collective, definately were forged in fire. Thankfully, we continue to share them to this day. As you celebrate with your family and friends, reflect back upon the "Music" of that era and have a Leela James kind of day. Can you still play the Xylophone??? May you be blessed with LOVE, Health and all Spiritual Blessings throughout your day of celebration and those beyond....
"EARLY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO RUBYSTENE BURKS PUNCH"
If you go back to your home town or you're reunited with school friends, its always slightly bittersweet because as much as there's nice things in terms of seeing them again, the town has changed without you, and you're no longer a part of it. ~ Edgar Wright ~
Happy Birthday Ruby ! Edgar has it correctly. We're both living in another town, but we're so much elated when we return for a visit and reunited with friends. Yes, the city has changed, but with our friends, we're still a part of it, because of them. I can only hope that the celebration with your family and new found friends, becomes a bittersweet remembrance to be enjoyed for days to come. Although our hometown has changed, our friendships continue to be unified...From this day on, may you have a Dionne, Stevie, Elton and Gladys experiance, because "That's What Friends Are For"....
In old age we are like a batch of letters that someone has sent. We are no longer in the past, we have arrived.
~ Knut Hamsun ~
Hello Ruby and you are absolutely welcome! You have arrived ! To the individuals of Generation Z, we probably are considered to be of "Old Age", but to reach the age of 67 in my opinion, is just one of our blessings of arrival. Like that batch of letters Knut Hamsun mentions, your postage has been paid in full ! ! ! I pray that many others of our class are also blessed to reach this age throughout the remaining days of this year.
On another note, if you have not responded already, please take the survey for the 50th Class Reunion. On behalf of the Reunion Committee members, thanks to everyone who has completed the survey...it is listed on the top left of this page, underneath BTW Alumni Events....please don't wait until the last minute...your opinion is important and required to make decisions related to the reunion.....
To all of my Beautiful Classmates who are Mom's and to those who are caregivers, I wish you all a glorious day. " The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father."
~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge ~
2 Timothy 1:4-6 Good News Translation
4 I remember your tears, and I want to see you very much, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I remember the sincere faith you have, the kind of faith that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice also had. I am sure that you have it also. 6 For this reason I remind you to keep alive the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
Men and women can absolutely be friends, and that's what we need to be. Part of the problem is that we aren't friends enough. Our relationships are negotiations, and that is not friendship.
~ Hill Harper ~
Happy Birthday Felippa ! You've had a full day of celebration and I'm sure it's been a marvelous day. Surely your family and friends have had you grinning all day. When was the last time Mother's Day was celebrated on your birthday??? Hill Harper makes a point when he states that Men and Women can absolutely be friends. Thank you for your continuous friendship over the years. I wish others would develop relationships instead of negotiations for friendships. Thanks again for forgiving me concerning the mistaken image that I posted of you. Today, I wish you a Gladys Knight kind of day..."I Hope You Dance".....
It's easy to impress me. I don't need a fancy party to be happy. Just good friends, good food, and good laughs. I'm happy. I'm satisfied. I'm content.
~ Maria Sharapova ~
Happy Birthday Edward ! I hope that your day has been blessed with LOVE and gifts from your family and friends. Some of us just simply need good friends, good food and laughs to be content and satisfied. I recall the days of Alonzo Locke and in the Cleaborn Homes, running around with you, Sammie Gilliam, Larry Ross, Harry Gray, Milton Blackmon, Tutwilers and others. We weren't trying to impress each other, just trying to be good friends. Thanks for your friendship over the years. You may not reply often on the website, but I've checked the statistics and I do know that you read what's written. As we learned back in the day, I wish you a Brothers Johnson "Streetwave", kind of celebration....
Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~ Marcel Proust ~
Happy Birthday Robbin ! May you receive a celebration today, full of the charm and dignity that you've brought into the lives of many individuals. The bouquet above reflects the spirit of your soul as you've been the gardner of the many established friendships. I'm grateful to have you as a classmate and friend. Here's wishing you a Patti LaBelle kind of day....you've been passing along blessings, like a charming gardner, who makes souls blossom....
Had a wonderful time at the Annual BTW Alumni Memorial Day Picnic 2019 enjoyed good food, fun and fellowship. Had a wonderful time at the Annual BTW Alumni Memorial Day picnic enjoyed good food, fun and fellowship,
One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the father prayed, Dear God, make me the kind of man my son wants me to be.....
~ Anonymous ~
TO ALL MY BROTHERS WHO HAVE BECOME FATHERS, I PRAY THIS DAY HAS BEEN A JOYOUS OCCASION. ENJOY LIFE AS BEST WE CAN AND CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THIS QUOTE.. " I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE MEN OUT THERE WHO ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO BE GOOD FATHERS, WHETHER THEY ARE STEPFATHERS OR BIOLOGICAL FATHERS, OR JUST SPIRITUAL FATHERS. ~ T D JAKES ~
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
May you be blessed with LOVE, Health and all Spiritual Blessings throughout your day of celebration and those beyond.....jpg)
.JPG)
"WARRIORS, WE NEED A PHONE and ADDRESS LIST STARTING NOW"
. Today, I wish you a Gladys Knight kind of day..."I Hope You Dance".....
.jpg)
