Funeral services for the late Rudolph Augustus Pyatt, Sr., 1909-1996, Saturday, March 30, 1996, 1:00 p.m., Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, 44 Nasau Street, Charleston, South Carolina, Dr. Charles E. Young, pastor, interment, Carolina Memorial Gardens, North Charleston, South Carolina

Ponorary Pallbearers
Senior Stewards o f Ebenezer A.M.E. Church
Pallbearers
Prince Hall Lodge #46
floral fearers
The R. A. Pyatt Voices o f Praise
(Apprettafxim
The family o f the late -- Rudolph A. Pyatt, Sr. -- wishes to extend sincere gratitude fo r all expressions o f kindness and comfort shown during their period o f
bereavement.
^rangemenfs Pg
G. W. HEYWARD'S MORTUARY 12-14 Dewey Street
Charleston, South Carolina
Raymond-"Tony" Nesbitt Graphics & Publications Charleston, South Carolina (803) 549-2409* 728-7140

Almighty God reached out and touched an Angel named Jennie and
beckoned her to join Him in the Kingdom o f Heaven. He then reached out and touched her beloved husband,
Gus. Now they are joined again as one. May their souls dwell in the
House o f the Lord forever. -- The Pyatt Children

funeral ^eriitres
for i\\t late q^ucfofpft Augustus ^P^att, g r .
1909 1996
Saturday, M arch 3 0 ,1 9 9 6
EBEN EZER A.M.E. CHURCH 44 Nassau Street
Charleston, South Carolina Dr. Charles E. Young, Pastor
-- INTERMENT -- Carolina Memorial Gardens North Charleston, South Carolina

Rudolph Augustus Pyatt, Sr. was born November 15, 1909 in Abbeville, SC, one of 13 children of the Rev. Charles J. Pyatt and Adeline Salters Pyatt. He died Sunday, March 24, 1996 in a Charleston nursing center.
Mr. Pyatt's father died when the son was very young, leaving behind a wife and eight children. The family moved to Charleston where Mr. Pyatt attended private and public elementary schools. With his older brothers having left home before he reached his teens, Mr. Pyatt attempted to fill the void left by the death of his father by working in a variety of jobs in order to help support the family.
It was during that period that he competed his apprenticeship as a tailor. The training that he received would become the foundation for much of his employment in related areas. He was employed at Berle Manufacturing Co., a maker of men's pants, before being forced to retire in the early 1970's because of heart problems.
On September 25, 1932, Mr. Pyatt was married to the former Jennie G. Murray of Kingstree, SC. She died March 18, 1996. Their marriage, which lasted more than 63 years, was a special partnership and a model of love and devotion.
At 6 feet 2 inches and weighing more than 240 pounds at the peak of his physical well-being, Mr. Pyatt was an imposing figure. But his true measure as a man was his stature as a leader in the church and community.
The neighbor who recalled how he helped her and others obtain special housing grants to repair their homes, the minister who described him as his role model and the pharmacist who remembers him as a highly valued customer, will attest to the fact that Mr. Pyatt was held in high esteem by those who knew him.
But he will be remembered most for his love and devotion to his family and the more than 60 years of dedicated service as an active member of his church. No sacrifice was too great for him to make in providing for his family. Although he dedicated his life to working in the church, he was always there, a pillar of strength in the home for his family.
Mr. Pyatt was also a study in courage and faith, never complaining about pain, hardship or his station in life. Whether he was being treated for injuries suffered in a tornado that destroyed the family's home in 1938, or undergoing heart surgery in 1985, or racked with pain during the final days of his life, his response was always the same. "I'm a fighter," he would remind family and friends.
He typically urged those in pain and despair to have faith and to put their trust in God. And in those final days, when some men might have despaired, he would simply say, "I'm waiting on the Lord."
Mr. Pyatt's long affiliation with Ebenezer A.M.E. Church began when he was a young man. A gifted tenor who sang extensively throughout the city of Charleston, Mr. Pyatt became the youngest person ever to be named chorister, or director of the Senior Choir. He later was appointed chorister of the church's Junior Choir and eventually organized a Youth Choir.


In 1994, members of the junior choir paid special tribute to him by renaming the choral group the R. A. Pyatt Voices of Praise.
In addition to being director of various choirs, Mr. Pyatt was also church secretary for more than 50 years. Friends and colleagues often referred to him good-naturedly as "Mr. Ebenezer."
He was a member and secretary of the Stewards Board, a Class Leader and advisor to the church's pastors. He was regularly elected delegate to the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, from the 1940's until he relinquished most of his duties in the late 1980's.
Among his other contributions, Mr. Pyatt organized the stewardship program and played a key role as secretary of the building committee which coordinated construction of the church's educational building. He was Steward Emeritus at the time of his death. Mr. Pyatt was honored on numerous occasions for distinguished service to his church. He was a member of Prince Hall Lodge No. 46, Free and Accepted Masons.
Mr. Pyatt is survived by two sons, Rudolph A. Pyatt, Jr. of Fort Washington, MD and James W. Pyatt of Queens, NY; four daughters, Jennie L. Pyatt of Mount Vernon, NY, Alice A. Pyatt and Barbara P. Simmons, both of Charleston, and Gwendolyn P. Marion of Queens; two daughters-in-law, Jacqueline Bell Pyatt of Fort Washington, MD and Charlye Mae Pyatt of Queens; a son-in-law, Benjamin 0. Marion of Queens; a sister, Lucille Robinson of Greensboro, NC; five grandchildren, Rudolph A. Pyatt of Brooklyn, NY, Randolph A. Pyatt of Fort Washington, MD, Kevin A. Pyatt of Mount Vernon, NY, Lillian Theresa Pyatt of Queens and Jonathan Pyatt Simmons of Charleston; one great-grandchild, Assata Pyatt of Mount Vernon, NY; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
%emember
RememBer me w hen 2 am gone azuay,
gone fa r azuay into tfie silen t land;
`W hen you can no more hold m e hy th e hand, H` pr 2 h a lf turn to go, y e t turning stay.
RememBer me w hen no more day By day,
y` 'ou te ll me o f ourfu tu re th a t you planned.
O nly rememBer me; you understand
I t w illBe (ate to counselthen or pray,
y e t i f you shouldfo rg et mefo r a w hile
A m i afterw ards rememBer, do notgrieve,
d o r i f the darkness and corruption leave A vestige o f the thoughts th a t once 2 had,
`B etter Byfa r you shouldfo rg et and sm ile
`Than th a t you should rememBer and Be sad
-- C hristina R ossetti

Z*J
rlter

Processional # 3 6 4 ....................................."My Hope Is Built"

Opening Hymn #4 9 5 ...................................."Abide With Me"

Invocation ..................................... Rev. Jonathan Baker, Pastor St. Peters A.M.E. Church

Scripture Reading Old Testam ent................................................. Psalm 62:1-8 Rev. Jam es Tolbert, Pastor
Progressive A.M.E. Church New Testam ent........................................Revelations 22:1-5
Rev. Lou Ethel Singleton Associate Pastor, Ebenezer A.M.E. Church

Musical Tribute ............................................. Mrs. Mildred Carr Accompanist, Felecia Breeland

[

"Until Then" by Stuart Hamblen

"In My Father's House Are Many Mansions"

by James MacDermid

Remarks Bro. Nathaniel President. Friend & Colleague........ Family F rien d ................. Georgetown D istrict....... Employer & F riend........

.................... Class Leader # 1 6 .............. Bro. St. Julian Devine ........ Rev. Fred H. Moore, Esq. Presiding Elder Lee M. Seward .............Mr. Norman Berlinsky

Resolution............................ ...............Sis. Florence L. Mack Senior Steward Board

Selection # 4 4 8 ........................... "When Peace, Like A River"

E u lo g y ..........................................

The Lord's Prayer (Chanted)

Recessional # 3 6 4 ..... .................. .............. "My Hope Is Built"

Committal Service....................... ..............................Graveside

Benediction