Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Celebrating the Life of Ostein Wilder Hankins, May 10, 1920 - April 9, 2015, Friday, April 17, 2015, Visitation - 10:00 A.M., Service - 11:00 A.M., Shiloh Baptist Church, 1500 Ninth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, The Reverend Dr. Wallace Charles Smith, Senior Minister, Officiant

SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH
1500 Ninth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 ~he Reverend Dr. Wallace Charles Smith, Senior Minister
Officiant

--------------==,~=~==~=,,=,=--------------------------- ----------------------- -----------=------==--=--~ ~=='='='==-"=''~'='-~~'~'-=~====-,==,0 '

0

STEIN WILDER HANKINS, the third of five children, was born to David and Eppie Mann Wilder on May 10, 1920 in Griffin, Georgia. She departed this life after a brief illness on April 9, 2015 at her home, with her children by her side. Ostein loved and served

!I

God her entire life. She joined Antioch Baptist Church (Griffin, GA) as a child and joined Shiloh

Baptist Church, her final church home, in 1951 after relocating to Washington, DC. She faithfully

served as a deaconess for more than 35 years and in 2013 she was elevated to the status of Deaconess

Emerita. She was also a dedicated member of Bethel Circle, the Walker Memorial Bible Class, the

Senior Citizens Club, Miriam Missionary and the Flower Club. During her years at Shiloh, Ostein

served as an assistant teacher of the Earl L. Harrison Sunday School Class, sang in the Earl L.

Harrison Chorus and served on numerous committees.

After graduating from Vocational High School, Ostein attended Albany State College in Albany, Georgia, where she received a Jr. College Teaching Certificate and began working in elementary education. She used her earnings to continue her early childhood education at Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. In her memoirs, she recounts that during the time she and her sister (Margaret) attended Tuskegee, the first Black Air Force pilots were being trained (later known as the Tuskegee Airmen) and they, "enjoyed meeting and dating many of the Air Force pilots." Over the years Ostein also completed a certificate in nursing and took additional courses/training at Ft. Valley State College, Georgetown University and D.C. Teacher's College (which later became the University of the District of Columbia).

While at Tuskegee she met Nehemiah Hankins, a sailor in the U .S. Navy. They were married on November 24, 1944 and had four children: Harriett Elaine, David Wilder, Joseph Marvin and Eppie Ostein. Together they reared their children in a Christian, loving and happy home. Nehemiah preceded Ostein in death on January 15, 1988. She was also preceded in death by two of her children- Harriett Elaine on January 15, 1999 and David Wilder on January 23, 2010.

In 1946, Ostein moved to Newport News, VA with her husband and baby Harriett after Nehemiah completed his six-year tour in the Navy. After two months they decided to visit Washington, DC for a honeymoon and vacation that never ended. They relocated and remained in Washington, DC the rest of their lives.

Wedding Day,., November 24, 1944

Ostein spent her career doing what she loved- working with children. In her memoirs she wrote, "Now the great thing was when I began teaching and working with young children. It was so

rewarding to see them grow, form and develop as I put a little more of myself into them each day.

Only God knows the fulfillment that one feels from this experience." She was one of the first

teachers in the Head Start Program and worked in the District of Columbia Public School System

for 25 years. She won numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career for her creativity and

outstanding work. After her retirement she continued her work with children at Wee-Wisdom Day

I

I. !!I

Care Center until she retired again to care for her grandson, Marvin.

I

I
Ostein Wilder Hankins was the embodiment of love. She took to heart Mathew 22:37-39,

where Jesus said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with

i
II

II

all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love

1 II I !I

your neighbor as yourself." She loved God above all. Second to God, she loved her husband, her

:II

II

children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family and in-laws; her adopted children

II

(which were many!), her church family, her home, neighbors, friends and every child she ever met! Ostein LOVED life. She was a happy person; she continuously praised God and thanked Him for

I

I II

the wonderful life that He blessed her to have, to know and to love to the very end.

1 II 1 II

I'

Ostein loved to cook and serve delicious meals for

everyone to enjoy. On January 1, 2015, she cooked her

traditional scrumptious New Year's Day dinner for her

family (pictured right). Ostein was creative, had a great

sense of humor and loved art, poetry, plants, flowers and

nature. She delighted in decorating her home w:th

pictures; she loved digging in the soil, planting flowers

and watching them grow. She said, "They were happy

when I gave them a little water."

I
I,

I"

I 11
After a long and beautiful life, Ostein finished her

work here on earth. She will be missed. Her husband, two

of her children , parents and siblings M arvin, M aude and

M argaret preceded her in death . She leaves to cherish her

memory her son, Joseph (Deborah) and daughter, Eppie

(Eddie Moorer); one sister, Zollie Lucille Curry, Atlanta, GA; grandchildren: Dr. Sharla Phipps-

McGregor (Brian) , Powder Spring, GA; Charles, II and Jason Phipps, Atlanta, GA; David and

Marvin Hankins, Silver Spring and Hyattsville, MD; great-granddaughters, Ayo and Ife McGregor;

son-in-law, Charles Phipps, Sr. (Beverly) , Atlanta, GA; niece, Connie Curry-Phipps (Herbert) ,

Albany, GA; grandniece, India Phipps-Epps (William); grandnephew, Herbert Phipps, Jr. , Albany,

GA; great-grandniece and great-grandnephew, Zoe and Evan Epps, Chesapeake, VA; a dear cousin,

Loetta Wilder Marshall, Brooklyn, NY; her 'other' neighborhood children: Richard Oliver, III;

Michael (Darcel) , Alton (Angela) , Veronica (Eddy) Bigelow-Wolff and Sarodel Childs; and a host of

adopted children, grandchildren, family and frien ds.

Organ Prelude......................................................................Dr. Thomas Dixon Tyler

Processional. ..................................................................... Clergy and Church Officials

Hymn of Praise, No. 189................................... ...It is Well with My Soul (Horatio Spafford)

Scripture Readings ..........................................................The Reverend Desire P. Grogan Old Testament: Psalm 27
New Testament: I Corinthians 13

Prayer ofComfort....................................................The Reverend George E. Mensah, Sr.

Solo .................................................. ........ Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Harold Arlen) Ms. Celeste K. T. Brooks

Tribute to our Mother.........................................Mr. Joseph M. and Ms. Eppie 0. Hankins

TRIBUTES Sister........... :..................................................................... Mrs. Zollie Lucille Curry Grandchildren................................................... Dr. Sharla Phipps-McGregor (spokesperson)
Mr. Charles W. Phipps, II Mr. David W. Hankins, Jr.
Mr. Jason B. Phipps Mr. Marvin N.C. Hankins Solo ........................................... Tomorrow................. .. (from "Annie", Charles Strouse) Misses Ayo and Ife McGregor (great-granddaughters) Son-in-law........................................................................Mr. Charles W. Phipps, Sr. Neighbor-Friend-Classmate..............................................................Mrs. Esther Rowley Bethel Circle....................................................................Deacon George T. Hardy, Jr. Walker Memorial Bible Class............................................. ..........Deacon Roland W. Hill Deaconesses............................................................................Deaconess Dianne Lee Senior Citizens Club.......................................................Deacon Emeritus Caesar Dudley

Solo .................................................................. We Shall Behold Him (Dottie Rambo) Ms. Cathy 0. Richburg

Eulogy............................................................The Reverend Dr. Wallace Charles Smith

I

Recessional Hymn, No. 432 ............................... .... ............ .I'll Fly Away (Albert Brumley)

I

Interment

i

I!

Ft. Lincoln Cemetery ~ Brentwood, Maryland

i! I
I!

@~-~~~--- -- --------. -------- ---- --=---+-- -------- --- --- - ...

__:::@ -:-_:::::::::::~::

Don't Gn.evefor Me

Don't grieve for me for now I'm free;

I'm following tbe patb God laid for me.

I took His band wben I beard Him call;

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

to laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay tbat way;

I found that place at the close ofday.

Ifmy parting bas left a void,

tben fill it witb remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;

Ab yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened witb times ofsorrow;

i I

I wisb you the sunshine oftomorrow.

iI

My life's been full, I savored much;

good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my transition seemed all too brie

H

'i I
!!I

don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share witb me;

God wanted me now, He set me free.

,.. Author Unknown

This Earth is so beautiful and interesting,

majestic. Every person born on tbis beautiful

planet bas been blessed ifonly to stay here their

lifetime and enjoy tbe fullness oftbe earth. You

bave been granted a special blessing. We must

:!

thank God each day for granting us tbe fruit of

1

His creation. Are we really grateful? Do we really

thank God for our blessings? Ob yes, to be born a

member ofGod's family, and witb a Christian

mother and father to love us as we open our eyes

to reality. Thank you jesus for tbis precious life.

Thank you mother and daddy.

,.. Written by Ostein W. Hankins

~::_

_____:___:::-:::--::::::--:_:::::__:::__::::==:___::___::::::::___:__:_::::__:::____________:]~

A Glimpse of a
GO~ GWO/nfU{;
I
i :'

Alton Bigelow Michael Bigelow David Hankins, Jr. Marvin Hankins

Eddie Moorer Richard Oliver, III Charles Phipps, II Jason Phipps

Deaconess Board Bethel Circle

The family invites everyone for a repast in the Cirtie Mae Turner Heritage Hall of the Henry C. Gregory III Family Life Center following the Interment.
~~
The family wishes to express our heartfelt thanks to our many friends and relatives for the expressions of concern, love and kindness during this difficult time. Thank you for your visits, calls, food, cards and flowers. We extend special thanks to Pastor Smith, Rev. Mensah, Bethel Circle, Dr. Sharon Parker and all who graciously participated in our beloved's homegoing service of celebration.

SERVICES ENTRUSTED TO McGuire Funeral Services, Washington, DC