A Celebration of Wilma, First Baptist Church 435 Madison Avenue, Clarksville, Tennessee, 1:30pm, Reverend James E. Victor Jr., Mount Olive Baptist Church, Clarksville, Presiding

MEME
A Tribute written by the Grandchildren
I can imagine grandma taking Me me's hand to Heaven to be with Uncle Wes, Papa Eddie, Aunt Margreta.
She is probably getting fitted for her wings. And, I bet she will be the fastest angel up there. She will be the first woman to receive three gold wings.
We Love You,
MEME
Blanche Bryant Carl Chaz Christopher D'Juan Jutta Robin Terry Timmy Tony Tyrell Wesley W ilma

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1994 ~VIEWING CEREMONY
A Celebration of Wilma
Kean Hall of the Floyd,Payne Campus Center Tennessee State University Nashville, Tennessee
3 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Dr. Lula S. Collier, Vice President of Administration, Tennessee State University, Presiding
The Lady of Gold ... A Biography in Motion WTVF,TV, NewsChannel5
HONOR GUARDS Tennessee State University ROTC
HONORARY PALLBEARERS Tennessee State University Tigerbelles
United States Olympic Committee Charlie B. Temple
PALLBEARERS Tennessee State University Athletic Department
USHERS The Girl Scouts Council of Cumberland Valley
FUNERAL DIRECTOR Foston Funeral Home
PROGRAM COORDINATOR Melodie Mayberry,Stewart
Vice President, Chief Information Officer Saint Thomas Hospital

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1994 'i' MEMORIAL SERVICES

A Cele bration of Wilma
Kean Hall of the Floyd,Payne Campus Center Tennessee State University Nashville, Tennessee 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Howard C. Gentry, ]r., Athletic Director, Tennessee State University, Presiding
MUSICAL SELECTIONS Tennessee State University Choir MRS. DIANA PoE, DIRECfOR
OLYMPIC FANFARE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY BRASS ENSEMBLE
OPENING PRAYER REVEREND H. BRUCE MAXWELL, PASTOR Lake Providence Baptist Church
TRIBUTES DR. ]AMES HEFNER, PRESIDENT Tennessee State University
THE HONORABLE NED McWHERTER, GOVERNOR The State of Tennessee
DR. LEROY WALKER, PRESIDENT The United States Olympic Committee
MR. FRED RUSSELL, VICE PRESIDENT, EMERITUS The Nashville Banner
MR. C. DAVID STRINGFIELD, FACHA, PRESIDENT Baptist Hospital
MRS. MAE FAGGS STARR Former Tigerbelle and Member of the USA Olympic Teams of 1958, 1952 and 1956
Winner of Gold and Bronze Medals
MR. EDWARD TEMPLE Retired , Tennessee State University Tigerbelle Coach, 1950,1994 USA Head Women's Track Coach of 1960, 1964 and 1980 Olympic Teams
FAMILY APPRECIATION DR. R. I. KWAME ABASS, DIRECfOR Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center
CLOSING PRAYER REVEREND )AMES R. KING, PASTOR Clark Memorial United Methodist Church
MUSICAL SELECTION Tennessee State University Choir MRS. DIANA PoE, DIRECfOR
HONORARY PALLBEARERS Tennessee State University Tigerbelles United States Olympic Committee Charlie B. Temple

PALLBEARERS Tennessee State University Athletic Department
HONOR GUARDS Tennessee State University ROTC
USHERS Tennessee State University Tigerbelles & Athletic Department

FUNERAL PROCESSION ESCORTS Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Tennessee State Highway Patrol
PROGRAM COORDINATOR Former Coach Ed Temple, Retired
FUNERAL DIRECTOR Foston Funeral Home

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1994 ~FUNERAL & INTERNMENT SERVICES

A Celebration of Wilma

First Baptist Church 435 Madison Avenue Clarksville, Tennessee 1:30 p.m.
Reverend]ames E. Victor, ]r., Mount Olive Baptist Church, Clarksville, Presiding

PRELUDE MUSIC IDA BLACK, Organist NICOLE jACKSON, Pianist

FAMILY PROCESSIONAL

MUSICAL SELECTION Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church Choir MARY IRVIN, Director

SCRIPTURE PASTOR jiMMY TERRY, SR. Tabernacle Baptist Church, Clarksville

PRAYER REVEREND H. BRUCE MAXWELL, PASTOR Lake Providence Baptist Church, Nashville

MUSICAL SELECTION GINA LACEY, Indianapolis

MEMORIAL EXPRESSIONS DoN TROTTER, MAYOR OF CLARKSVILLE THELMA HARPER, STATE SENATOR BOBBY }ONES, GOSPEL RECORDING ARTIST WILMA WHITLOW, GRANDDAUGHTER

FAMILY APPRECIATION DR. R. I. KWAME ABASS, DIRECTOR Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center

THE EUGOLIUM REVEREND ]AMES E. VICTOR, ]R., PASTOR Mount Olive Baptist Church, Clarksville

MUSICAL SELECTION DONALD RAGLAND, Indianapolis

TRIBUTE T HE L ADY OF G OLD.. . H OPE H INES WTVF,TV, NewsChannelS

BENEDICTION DR. SAM MING, LAY WITNESS FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL Hearst, Texas

POSTLUDE & RECESSIONAL IDA BLACK, Organist NICOLE jACKSON, Pianist

HONORARY PALLBEARERS Tennessee State University Tigerbelles United States Olympic Committee Charlie B. Temple

PALLBEARERS

Burt High Class of 1958

Sterling Slaydon

Warren Keesee

John Campbell

Robert Johnson

Sam Lyle

Troy Wilson

Kenneth Daniels

Delano Bourne

George Pettus

Edward Wisdom

Alfred Quarles

FLORAL BEARERS

Claudette Sallee

Andree Harlan

Burt High Class of 1958 Savanna Holmes

JoAnn Mallory Burgess Phyllis Walker Jenkins

Mary Frances Elliott

Barbara Quarles Johnson

Tommie Taylor Graves

Gracie Bell Massey

Frances Lyle Moody

Mattie West Northington

Janice Suggs Quarles

Dorothy Suggs Sanders

Sarah Outlaw Stacker

Mary Gilliam Campbell

Tennessee State University Tigerbelles

INTERNMENT Foston Memorial Gardens Clarksville, Tennessee

RUDOLPH
June 23, 1940- November 12, 1994
Condensing the life of Wilma Rudolph into two pages of words is like asking some, one to describe the Grand Canyon without using superlatives , , it is very, very difficult. Bt.it it is not impossible, for one word does stand out. That word is hero.
In an era seemingly bereft of role models, Wilma is a woman whose actual life may be inimitable, but her fantastic story should be told over and over, for it may serve as a lesson for all of us when we need personal strength to face life's challenges.
The twentieth -of twenty,two children, Wilma was born in a time and place where being black automatically put her at a disadvantage in many respects. But being a black girl turned out to be the least of Wilma's challenges, for she was also stricken with scarlet fever and polio. The many obstacles Wilma Rudolph overcame to lead a life of personal accomplishment and world recognition reads more like a story by Charles Dickens than the life of a beautiful, vibrant, twentieth,century hero.
Recalling her childhood, Wilma once said, "I didn't like any of my friends. Your peers are always the worst. They tease you or if you are playing a game, nobody wants to hold your hand because you have a brace on. I used to hate that. I think my way of getting back at them was through a sport. That was also a form of motivation and determination."
The motivation worked. After the sixteen,year,old journeyed to Australia for the 1956 Olympics, where she won a bronze medal, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympiad in 1960. From Wilma's perspective, the most important victory was achieved when she returned home to Clarksville, Tennessee.
"When I got back from the Olympics, my hometown, which had never been inte, grated, decided to have a parade for me. I told them that I could not come to a parade that would be segregated. So, I sort of broke that barrier in my hometown. I probably did everything that I wasn't supposed to do, but it was to pave the way for other blacks in the town," she wrote.
During her transformation from a six,foot,tall, eighty,nine pound high school bas, ketball player known as "Skeeter," into a world,renowned athlete, successful educator and savvy businesswoman, one thing never changed. Wilma's personal magnetism drew everyone she met to her and her common sense and realistic vision never wavered.
During her lifetime, "La Gazelle Noire" excelled in many roles. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Wilma was a best,selling author, the subject of an acclaimed network television movie, "Wilma," a popular lecturer on the college circuit, an accom, plished track director, national spokesperson for a number of consumer products, an athletic coach, a United States Goodwill Ambassador, a human resources executive in the banking industry and vice president of a major medical center in Nashville.
The awards and honors bestowed upon Wilma Rudolph were plentiful during her lifetime: the 1961 "]ames E . Sullivan Award," the highest athletic honor in the United States; the "Babe Didrickson Zaharias" trophy; the Associated Press "Female Athlete of the Year" (1961). She was a member of the Black Athlete's Hall of Fame, (1973); the National Track & Field Hall of Fame (1974 ); the United States Olympic Hall of Fame
f/A::a~ """'-""....___~ d : ~~~ (1983) and a recipient of the NAACP Image Award. ...-. A
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Wilma once said, "Sometimes it takes years to really grasp what has happened to your life. What do you do after you are world,famous at 19 or 20 and have sat with prime ministers, kings and queens...the Pope? What do you do after that?,, You come back to the real world... When I was going through my transition of being famous, I used to ask God, why was I here? What was my purpose? Surely it wasn't just to win three gold medals. I would be very disappointed if I were only remembered as a runner, because I feel that my contributions to the youth of America have far exceeded the woman who was the Olympic champion."
Somehow, Wilma must surely now know why she was here, for we all do. No one that level,headed and strong,willed would leave this world without finding the answers she sought. But for those of us remaining, we pause to reflect upon the five,and,a,half decades she walked (and ran) among us...Wilma Rudolph,, a hero,, was here to serve as our inspiration. Her work in numerous roles during her lifetime will be remembered by all those whose lives she came in contact, and her story will go on and on.
Somewhere, sometime, someone whose life seems bleak will be inspired by Wilma's story and they will come to realize that while life on this earth is not always easy, it can be made into an unforgettable experience if one is willing to try with everything they possess.
Wilma Rudolph is survived by CHILDREN
Yolanda Kavonne Eldridge,Jones, Nashville,Tn. D'Juana Rudolph Bowers, Atlanta, Ga. Robert L. Eldridge , Indianapolis, ln. Xurry D. Eldridge , Indianapolis, In.
SISTERS Charlene Clifton , Brentwood, T n. Yvonne Reeves , Waynesville, Mo. Elizabeth Moore , Cleveland, Oh. Eudora Griffith , Grand Prarie, T x.
Odessa Rudolph, Louisville, Ky. Mary Nell Parks, Louisville, Ky.
BROTHERS George Rudolph, Nashville, Tn. Eddie Rudolph , Louisville, Ky.
GRANDCHILDREN Wilma Whitlow Jutta Whitlow Tyrel Rudolph D'Juan Rudolph Carl Eldridge Chaz Eldridge Robert Eldridge

A Salute to Wilma Rudolph from the Students
of Tennessee State University
Wilma Rudolph taught us all how to reach within ourselves and find success. As an outstanding alumnus, athlete and business leader, she showed us how to hear the positive voices that say, "Yes, you can" and to follow our hearts. She inspired us to forge ahead, even though there may be seemingly impenetrable barriers before us.
Wilma Rudolph will remain with us reminding us that trials are simply opportunities to show the world what we are capable of doing when we marry our talents to the kinds of strong beliefs she upheld. The students of Tennessee State University cherish the wonderful testimony of her life and will strive to conduct ourselves in a manner that reflects her spirit of courage and perseverance.
The Wilma Rudolph Scholarship Fund
Dr. Leroy T. Walker, president of the United States Olympic Committee, has announced the creation of "The Wilma Rudolph Scholarship Fund."
Scholarships will be established to further the education of stu~ dent athletes demonstrating the determination, dedication and drive for which Wilma Rudolph was known.
Donations may be made to "The Wilma Rudolph Scholarship," P.O. Box 22082, Nashville, TN 3 7202 and should include the word "scholarship" on the check, because the Wilma Rudolph Foundation has the same address.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The family of Wilma Rudolph acknowledges with sincere gratitude the many kindnesses, cards, florals, tributes, visits, contributions made to the Tennessee State University Foundation and other expressions of concern evidenced in thought and deed at our time of sorrow.
President James Hefner and the Staff of Tennessee State University Lem Lewis, Hope Hines, Vickie Yates, WTVF,TV, NewsChannel 5 Dr. Roger Freeman, First Baptist Church, Clarksville Baptist Hospital Sister Almeda Golson, D.C., Mr. John Tighe, the ITS Staff, Ginna Davidson and Mark Taylor of Saint Thomas Hospital United States Olympic Committee Dr. M. Felts Dent, Jr., Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church Delta Sigma Theta Brentwood Limousine Service Susan O'Leary Shay Enzeveiler Yvonne Braithwaite,Burke, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Henrietta, Doris & Valerie of the Hospice Home Health Care Williams & Dinkins Law Firm Reverend Theodore V. Foster, Eastern Star Baptist Church, St. Louis, MO Mariah Wooten, Esq Arthur Overall, President, Music City Telecom Warren Keesee Dr. James Jones, Family Physician Dr. W. Charles Penley, Oncologist Dr. Francis W. Gluck, Jr., Internal Medicine The Nursing Staff of the Baptist Women's Pavilion Dottie Campbell Betty Herbert Geraldine Brown "Skip" Gant The Tennessean The Nashville Banner WKRN,TV, Channel2 WSMV,TV, The Channel4 News Councilman Ludye N. Wallace Valerie Bridgeforth Phillip Simmons Charlie Deane Benetta "Mother Dear" Berge Floyd Price, Esq. Senator Thelma Harper, Tennessee Senatorial District 21 Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Governor Ned MeWherter The Mount Olive Baptist Church, Clarksville The First Baptist Church,Vine Street The City of Nashville The City of Clarksville The Cloverland Acres Community Music City USA Nashville Chamber of Commerce WVOL/WQQK Radio Tennessee State Highway Patrol Mayor Philip N. Bredesen, Mayor, City of Nashville The Girl Scouts Council of Cumberland Valley The Fulton Group The Nashville Sports Council Betty Marshall and Shoney's, Inc. Don Trotter, Mayor, City of Clarksville National Black Women's Health Project Dr. Linda Cartee
FUNERAL DIRECTION Serenity Funeral Home, Springfield, Tennessee V. E. Parhman & Son Funeral Home, Springfield, Tennessee
Hooker Funeral Home, Clarksville, Tennessee The Foster & Son Funeral Home, St. Louis, Missouri David Smith Cemetery Service, Springfield, Tennessee Gamble Funeral Home, Hopkinsville, Kentucky
V. K. Ryan & Son Funeral Home, Columbia Lewis & Wright Funeral Home, Nashville McGavock & Martin Brothers Funeral Home, Nashville
PROGRAM PRODUCTION Design and Editing by Saint Thomas Hospital Communications & Marketing Department,
Film Processed by Goeser & Goeser, Inc., Printing by Harris Press, Inc.
VIDEO PRESENTATION WTVF,TV, NewsChannel5
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS Four Seasons Florist, Clarksville

The Lady of Gold ... A Biography in Motion
From clay in The Potter's hands was moUled something magnificent, and it would become the standard by which others would measure and be measured.
She was a child with an affliction, but already growing within was as an equalizer, the seed of greatness.
And out of that adversity, as others moaned she would never recover, burst forth a desire and resolve of mind and character that would enable her to achieve her position among the athletic nobility of the ages.
Her legs were named brilliance and splendor and they carried her to mountain tops only a few have ever experienced.
As the years passed and separated us from her athletic accomplish-ments, Wilma Rudolph's stature as human being had grown to be equally admired.
She was a true citizen of the world. Embraced by all cultures and elevated to royalty in many countries of Europe, I knew Wilma Rudolph, not as an athlete, but as a "grand lady." A proud woman, yet humble in spirit, generous in serving the needs of others, and with an absolute passion for life. Yes, Wilma knew all about struggles and battles. She lost a few, but won her share, and then some ... And, it's the spirit of her living we will remember. Wilma Rudolph, I know, fulfilled her purpose here on earth. And what a splendid purpose it was. And so it remains now for us to inspect, learn from and apply what she left behind. It's no magic formula, I can assure you. All the great ones have it ... It's called "heart" and with it you can soar like the eagles to any height you desire. So, let's all keep looking up, because the next lightening bolt from the sky just might be Wilma Rudolph with wings on her feet, off on another race with the wind.
HOPE HINES, Sports Director WfVF-TV, NewsChannelS