A Celebration of the life and homegoing of Willie Mae Walker Glover, April 16, 1930 - February 18, 1992, Monday, February 24, 1992, 2:30 p.m., Turner Monumental A.M.E. Church, 66 Howard Street, Atlanta, Georgia, Reverend Warren Douglas, Reverend Anthony Foley, Reverend A.E. Dunn, Reverend Gabriel Hardeman, Reverend L.J. Jones, Reverend Samuel W. Wicker, Officiating Minister

Qlclehration
of the life and homegoing of
;mtlillie 4ffilae ;mtlalker lo&er
April 16, 1930 - February 18, 1992
Monday, February 24 , 1992
2:30 p.m. Turner Monumental A. M. L Church
66 Howard Street Atlanta, Georgia
Reverend Warren Dolphus Reverend Anthony Foley
Reverend A. E. Dunn Reverend Gabriel Hardeman
Reverend L. J. Jones Reverend Samuel W. Wicker, Officiating Minister

program conceived, designed and written
Lucile Wilherspoon a:~ Letitia Tish Glover

Prelude

Order of Service
Reverend S. W. Wicker, Presiding
Organ Music Mrs. Cornelia Dolphus, Organist

Processional "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"

Selection Prayer Scripture:
Solo

"Blessed Assurance" Combined Choirs
Reverend Anthony Foley

Old Testament: New Testament:

Reverend Warren Dolphus Reverend A. E. Dunn

"How Great Thou Art" Mrs. Patricia Heath

Remarks and Tributes: (2 minutes each)

Mr. Elco Alford Mrs. Jennie Mae Robinson Mrs. Minnie Baugh Rev. G. S. Hardeman Rev. L. J. Jones

Obituary-

"LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND"

Letitia "Tish" Glover (daughter)

Solo

"My Soul Is Anchored"

Mr. Jeffrey Jackson

Eulogy

Rev. S. W. Wicker

Acknowledgements

Mrs. Mary Reynolds

Recessional

Interment

Lincoln Memorial Gardens Mausoleum

Dinner

TURNER MONUMENTAL AME CHURCH Cafeteria

Narratiue Biographical Slcetch by
Tish and Cile
Willie Mae Walker Glover was born Wednesday, April 16, 1930 in Hahira, Cook County, Georgia. She is the daughter of Maude Walker and the late Reverend Elijah Walker, the granddaughter of the late John and Nancy Orr and the late Molly and Thomas Walker.
The idea of self sufficiency was planted in her mind long before her birth. This granddaughter of slaves grew up on a 100 acre farm that her paternal grandmother brokered from the slave master. They were able to grow everything that they needed and maintained a comfortable lifestyle for that era. It is significant to note that this farm remains in the hands of the descendents of Thomas and Molly Walker. Unfortunately, all of her grandparents, except Grandpa John, died before Willie Mae was born.
Elijah Walker, her father, who was next to the youngest child was left "in charge of the family and farm." He worked as a young African Methodist Episcopal minister and teacher in a one room school in Enigma, Georgia. It was there that he met Maude Orr, one of his students who was ten years his junior. Family legend has it that he did not allow other male students to interact with her in any manner and that he closely scrutinized her association with other female students. He married her on March 2, 1924. It has been reported by many that Maude and Elijah had the largest and finest wedding that had ever been held in Enigma, Georgia at that time.
Her elder brother, Elijah Jr., was born in 1927. He was absolutely delighted when his little sister was born three years later.
On the morning that she was born , her eldest uncle, Uncle Billy, who served as a surrogate grandfather, informed her parents that he would name this child after him. His name was William Thomas and he named her Willie Mae. She was christened at birth in the County Line A. M. E. Church which founded by her paternal greatgrandmother, Judy Walker and grandparents, Molly and Thomas Walker.
Because Nancy Orr, her mate rn al grandmother died prematurely in 1925, El ijah and Maude adopted Maude's younger siblings- Mamie, Essie, J. B. and Erma. Essie thoroughly enjoyed caring for her new "funny looking neice who was bald with three strands of bright.red hair."
Willie Mae was a socialite who learned social skills at a very young age. Because her father was a minister and her extended family was very large, it was necessary to learn to negotiate and achieve recognition in order to build self esteem . First Cousins Molly, Emma and Mattie Walker competed with each other in bestowing love and spending quality time with their new neice.
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Around the age of three, she became fascinated with the manner in which her father played the piano. Legend has it that one day during her preschool years, she sat down to the piano and played a song that she had heard from memory without any formal knowledge of music. The love of music, specifically, piano and singing, taught her discipline and gave her great comfort throughout the rest of her life.
She entered the County Line A.M.E. Church School at tl)e age of four and was initially taught by her parents. It was in this one room school that she developed a genuine thirst for knowledge and a love of school. Nurturing teachers like Mrs. Gertrude Wyche Walker and Mrs. Madel! Burks facilitated this cause tremendously. Willie Mae stood at the top of her class from the beginning of elementary school. English and Music were her favorite subjects. Because of her high achievement, she was skipped from the second to the fourth grade.
Willie Mae thoroughly loved music and people. Lucile, her younger and only sister was her best friend for life. They literally did everything together. Willie Mae played the piano and sung alto and contralto and Lucile was the soprano. They were known as "The Sisters." They were primary artists who managed choirs and played a significant role in music at County Line A.M.E. Church in Hahira, Georgia, and later, Choir Number Two at Turner Monumental A. M. E. in Atlanta.
Her excellent interpersonal skills and musical activities provided a vehicle for cultivating lifelong friendships. She believed that one should always give other people an opportunity to feel needed and important and frequently stated "We were all children of God and that each individual in the universe was his special creation."
She entered Hahira High School and continued to excel academically. Her music teacher, Mr. William H. Lissimore, affectionately called her "Little Marian Anderson" and frequently told her that he depended on her to carry the contraltos and play the piano. She sung the class song at her graduation and won awards for music and being the "best all around student at her graduation in May, 1947.
Willie Mae majored in music at Albany State College. She was a member of the college choir and she enjoyed singing songs that required alto and contralto singers.
After college, she returned to her high school alma mater and taught school. Also, she served as the main pianist for County Line A.M.E. Church during this period of her life.
One Saturday night, she went to the grocery store with Aunt Hattie, her paternal aunt, and she met John Glover. She became his ultimate conquest. It is reported that her only mission was to study music professionally and that she was not particularly interested in marriage. Her eldest aunt, Aunt Sis (Louannie Hall) and her daughter,

3 Ella encouraged her to study. Her cousins, W. C., Fred, Theodore and Joseph scrutinized all of her male associates so closely that it would have been easy for her to postpone marriage. The Korean War came and John went off to war. While he was in the military, she continued to work with her music and write John. Upon returning from the military, John convinced Willie Mae to marry him. On Thursday night, March 5, 1953, they were married in a small wedding on the front porch of her parent's home in Hahira, Georgia.
John was a young man full of ambition. He wanted to go to school, move to Atlanta and study science. He and his new bride set out to achieve his goals.
Upon arrival in Atlanta, the young couple moved to Parsons Street where John enrolled in classes at Morehouse College. Later, John studied at and graduated from the Atlanta School of Mortuary Science. Willie Mae helped him study and prepare his lessons. John attributed his success in professional school to her scholarship.
Willie Mae encouraged everyone around her to achieve academically. Her younger brothers, Julius and Elton were always encouraged to go to school and live with her in Atlanta.
When her children were born, she devoted her entire life to them . Letitia, or Tish, the first born was so named because of the joy she brought into the lives of her parents. Willie Mae frequently told Tish that she wanted her to achieve all of the things that she had not accomplished. She taught Tish to read at the age of three and enrolled her in piano lessons at the age of five. Because Tish was a strong willed child who was "as stubborn as a mule," Willie Mae refused to be her primary music teacher. Tish absolutely hated piano lessons and flunked out of the classes of several teachers. As a result, she pushed her to excel in academic subjects. She once remarked, "Tish is a pure academician , not an athlete or musician.
Fortunately, her middle child, Thomas Alfred or Alfred , excelled in music and athletics. Alfred told his mother that the piano was for girls, therefore, he would concentrate his efforts on learning how to play woodwind instruments. Willie Mae attended every football game in which he played and every concert in which he performed.
John Bruce or Bruce frequently told his mother that he was the youngest and not the baby. She always stated that Bruce was jealous of Tish because she was a bookworm and Alfred's athletic accomplishments, therefore , he was on a mission to enjoy life and not be dull and boring.
Later, Alfred would marry and have a son, Michael Thomas Glover. He and his "grant-mama" as he affectionately called her had a special bond that strengthened by their mutual love of candy.

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Willie Mae believed in the power of organizations. At Turner Monumental A. M. E. Church, she served as president of Auxiliary Board Number One from 1974 to 1986. The organization lent tremendous support to the church during her presidency. Reverend Ulric George appointed her to Stewardess Board Number One in 1977. She was a faithful member of this organization. Other non-church organizations include the Rosemont Responsible Citizens Club and numerous social service organizations.
As your daughter and first born, you give me strength and joy. You have nurtured and supported me. Sometimes, I felt that you were my only advocate. Ma, my grandmother, Aunt Cile, Bruce, Alfred and Daddy concur in this belief. I stand on your shoulders. Someday, my unborn children will stand on my shoulders in the same manner.
You are a link in a long and proud chain. This heritage extends from the villages of West Africa where generations before my great-great-grandmother Judy was captured as a slave and transported in the belly of a slaveship to Newport News, Virginia and sold for $10 to a Georgia farmer to my great-grandparents, to my grandparents, to my parents, Willie Mae and John, to your grandchild, and unborn grandchildren. From the villages of West Africa to Grandma Judy's slaveship and to our ultimate CHAMPIONSHIP-----
THANKS MOM!!!!
YOU ARE VICTORIOUS!!!
HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!
LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND!!!!!!!!!

Honorary Pallbearers Steward Board Number One Steward Board Number Two ********************************************
Pallbearers
Sons and Nephews
Alfred Glover Bruce Glover Emory Walker Lamar Walker Dennis Witherspoon Larry Witherspoon Kelvin Witherspoon Glenn Walker David Walker Craig Walker Patrick Walker Clifford Walker Anthony Walker Keith Walker Billy Walker
******************************************** Flower Ladies
Stewardess Boards One and Two of
Turner Monumental A.M.E. Church ***********************************************
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our gratitude to all of the acts of kindness that you have shown us in this difficult period of our lives . Your love will be forever appreciated and never forgotten.

Arrangements

Donald Trimble Mortuary, Inc.