Suffolk News-Herald

Six citizens will be honored by the East Suffolk Federated Civic League at its 14th Annual Community Awards and Achievement Banquet at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6. The event will be held in the DAV Chapter 5 location at 139 S. Saratoga St.

Honorees are Shirley Barnes, Kimala Morris Brady, Lakita Frazier, Solomon Morris, the Rev. H. Harvey Murrill, and Rutherford Ulysses Whitfield.

— Barnes is a native of Suffolk and is a graduate of the former East Suffolk High School and Cortez Peters Business College in Washington, D.C. She began working in 1961 as a school secretary at the former East Suffolk Primary School and later worked as secretary/bookkeeper at Driver Middle School. After leaving that position, she became employed at the former John F. Kennedy High School and retired from there after 41 years of service. She is a member of New First Baptist Church, Hosier Road. She was married to the late Leslie Barnes Jr. and has one son, Anthony.

— Brady, 26, is a native of Suffolk and graduated from Lakeland High School. She is also a graduate of Norfolk State University where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Services Management. Brady is co-owner and operator of Kadaeos (Ka-dae-oes) Devine Creations Catering Co. which offers off-site catering for weddings, banquets, and parties. She is also employed with Community Personal Care of Norfolk as a business developer. Brady has served as the Minister of Music for Balm of Gilead Baptist Church since 1990. She is the daughter of Johnny and Nora Morris, the wife of Dwayne Brady and they have two children Dwayne Issaick, one and Amiya Janae, two.

— Lakita Sherelle Frazier is a native of Suffolk and a 1992 graduate of Lakeland High School. She attended Norfolk State University and in 1997 received a Bachelor of Social Work Degree. In 1994 she began working for the Suffolk Parks and Recreation as a part-time recreation leader in the Summer Playground Program. Over the next nine years she was promoted to Recreation Center Director, Recreation Supervisor, Recreation Superintendent, and assistant director. In July 2003 she was appointed to the position of director. Frazier is the daughter of Margaret Deloris Frazier and is the mother of two children, Essence, five and Nakeem, four.

— Deacon Solomon Morris Sr. is a native of Scotland Neck, N.C. and attended public schools in that city. He is well known in Suffolk and surrounding areas as &uot;Simon The Junk Man&uot; and has been self-employed as a demolition contractor for 40 years. Morris has been a member of New First Baptist Church of Pleasant Hill on Hosier Rd. since 1934 and was ordained a deacon in 1942 by the late Rev. C.C. Rodgers. He is the son of the late Jimmy and Lydia Morris and is the father of one son, Solomon Morris Jr. better known as Jessie. He was formerly married to Pattie Morris.

— The Rev. H. Harvey Murrill is a native of Wilmington, N.C. and graduated from Williston Senior High School in North, Carolina. He also obtained a BA degree from Elizabeth City State University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Shaw University School of Religion in Raleigh, N.C. He received a Doctor of Divinity Degree in May 1992. Employment includes working as an administrator at Elizabeth City State University and as in instructor at Roanoke Theological Seminary, both in Elizabeth City N.C. Presently he is the minister at Mt. Ararat Christian UCC on Airport Road.

— Rutherford Ulysses Whitfield is a native of Suffolk, attended Gresham Graded Elementary School in Myrtle, and graduated from the former East Suffolk High School in June 1955. He began driving school buses in 1954 during his senior year in high school. After graduation and in preparation for an interest in music. In 1957 he enrolled in music under Mrs. Evelyn H. Jackson and became organist for his home church Grove Pentecostal. He also organized the Boys State Choir at Virginia Union University, was an announcer for WLPM Radio Station, in 1965 was manager of the new cafeteria at John F. Kennedy High School and was employed at Obici Hospital. He became a Notary Public in 1968. At the present time he is Minister of Music at Piney Grove Baptist Church and every fourth Sunday, is organist at Zion United Church of Christ in Suffolk. He has been driving school busses for 49 years and his picture was published in the 2000 Discover Suffolk Magazine representing the City of Suffolk Public School System. He is the son of Annie Rachel Whitfield-Strothers and Clarence Arthur King.

For details or tickets, call William Goodman at 539-0726 or Johnnie Edwards at 539-6069.