| Loving daughter honors 90-year-old parents with
wedding/birthday celebration Love gives naught
but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, “God is in my
heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.”
If it was not known that Kahlil Gibran penned those profound words in 1923, one could
easily believe that they were written especially for Hattie Rice Montgomery who honored
her beloved parents, John and Hattie Rice with a combined 90th birthday and 69th Wedding
Anniversary celebration at Kashmere Gardens Multipurpose Center, 4802 Lockwood on Oct. 12.
“God blessed me with very special parents, therefore I wanted to do something very
special to express my love for them,” explained Montgomery. And did she ever.
“It was wonderful to see such an outpouring of genuine love for my parents,”
concluded Montgomery, who herself is well known for her commitment and support of
organizations that she so generously volunteers her time and energy to make her community
a better place to live in.
Her always giving and loving parents taught her to do by example. And, for sure, those
whose lives were touched by John and Hattie’s Christian charity and loving spirit
were delighted to have a chance to express their love in return.
Elnita Brown opened the celebration with a warm and heartfelt welcome, which was followed
by Rev. W. Ray Washington’s scripture reading and Rev. Ambres Kearney’s prayer.
The Rices’ pastor, Rev. Harvey Clemons, Jr, rendered special remarks on behalf of
their Pleasant Hill church family, which were embellished by Vicky Easy’s beautiful
solo.
Expressions were made by Hattie Rice Montgomery (parents), Rev. Adolphus Moore, Jr.
(family), and Sis. Josephine Taylor (Kashmere Multi-Center Crafts), Sis. Helen Scruggs
(Kashmere Senior Council), Sis. Alberta Martin (Pleasant Hill’s Missions), Sis.
Myrtis Morgan (Neighborhood/Friends) and Armco Retiree’s Club.
World-renowned soprano Shirley Baines, who also happens to be a native Fifth Warder and
one of the Rice’s many “children,” stirred the crowd with a solo, which was
topped only by the refreshments that followed Montgomery’s closing remarks. Sis.
Montgomery also acknowledged The Texas Rollers (her bowling club), Mrs. Joe Lean Brown and
the Kashmere Seniors who all helped to make the celebration a very special occasion to
remember.
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