Rev. Richard Tolliver, pastor of St. Edmund’s Episcopal
Church, 61st and Michigan, shared his pulpit with a very special guest on
Sunday. Rev. Tolliver last saw Dr. Robert E. Satcher Jr., the astronaut, on
Nov. 18 as he blasted off into outer space aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis with
five fellow astronauts headed for the international space station to spend the
next 11 days. Satcher, 44, an orthopedic surgeon, is a specialist in child and
adult bone cancer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Children’s Memorial
Hospital and assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Northwestern’s
Feinberg School of Medicine. He’s also a lay Episcopal minister at St.
Edmund’s, primarily responsible for visiting sick and shut in parishioners.
Tolliver was Satcher’s special guest at the November liftoff from the
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The married father of two who is the first
orthopedic surgeon in space said he has dreamed of becoming an astronaut since
childhood. He told parishioners he helped fix a pair of robotic arms on the
exterior of the space station and conducted experiments and performed maneuvers
outside the spacecraft. His uncle is a former U.S. surgeon general, Dr. David
Satcher.
Good Cheer – National Women of Achievement Inc. and Sigma Gamma Rho
Sorority’ Eta Xi Sigma Chapter brought love and cheer to “seasoned citizens” at
All Faith Pavilion Nursing Home by singing Christmas carols and distributing
holiday goodies. Shirley Venerable and Linda Brown, presidents of the two
groups, extended greetings, and in return, several of the seniors performed
solos. Bravo to organizers Dr. Carrie Filer Davis, Dr. Helen Davis Gardner,
Joann Hawkins White and Dorothy Lockett!
Home Coming – Chicago’s Lisa Deveaux, a Columbia College grad, a former
make-up artist to the stars and salon owner and singer/songwriter, has come
home from L.A. to perform Wednesday at “An Evening of Smooth Jazz” at Close-Up
2, 416 S. Clark. Showtime: 8:30 p.m. Lisa’s luscious debut CD, Shakin’ That
Jazz, is a sly yet sweet flip of an infamous Prince lyric and a breezy and
romantic song cycle of tropical soul and pop that’s as jazzy as it is funky as
it is classy. Lisa’s dad is the late actor Don X. Williams, from whom she
inherited her love of the bright lights. And sure to be ringside on Wednesday
is her fav-o-rite fan, her mom, Theresa Williams Smith, retired school marm who
also possesses a penchant for singing! Admittance: $20.
Milestones – Condolences to Commissioner Lula Ford, of the Ill. Commerce
Commission, and family on the passing of her beloved mom, Nola Ford, in Pine
Bluff, Ark. Funeral arrangements are pending. And our sympathy to Delores
Elliott on the senseless murder of her husband, Ralph, shot in the parking lot
of a fast food eatery. Services are Saturday (wake, noon; funeral, 1 p.m.) at
Metropolitan Community Church, 4610 S. Prairie …Happy 47th anniversary to Rev.
and Mrs. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. (Jacqueline) and to Dr. and Mrs. Herbert C.
Harris. (he’s the retired dentist; she’s Rev. Dr. Mildred Clopton Harris,
founder and CEO of God First Ministries) … Happy b’day to Clarienda Washington,
who turns 100 this Wednesday. A member of Pilgrim Baptist Church, the centurion
celebrated Saturday at Allen Temple Metropolitan Church. She was born in
Vicksburg, Miss. and came to Chicago 80 years ago – in 1929 … Believe it or
not! Actress Kim Fields, best known for her role as teenage “Tootie” in the
long-running NBC series, Facts of Life, hit “the big 4-0” in 2009. Ditto: Ice
Cube, Bobby Brown, Emmitt Smith, Jay-Z, Puff Diddy (aka Sean John Combs),
Jennifer Lopez, Tyler Perry, Terrence Howard, Ken Griffey Jr., Chandra Wilson,
Nate Dogg and Morris Chestnut. Feeling ancient?
Happy New Year – one full of
love, laughter and longevity
Peace, power and prosperity
along with
Excellent health, exceeding wealth
And an abundance of
God’s bountiful blessings!
