Suffolk News-Herald

About 100 friends and family members gathered in the late afternoon of Feb. 20 in the Holiday Inn to wish a happy birthday to Dr. Clarence J. Word. His wife, Addie, was by his side.

&uot;The program was well planned and carried out excellently,&uot; Word said. &uot;I was very pleased with it and quite grateful to my daughter and son-in-law for giving the party.&uot;

Word is speaking of Sherley and Leslie Kimbrough from Cambridge, Mass.

The Words celebrated his 95th birthday on Feb. 22, but his daughter had to be back home on Monday and she also thought it would be better to have the party on Friday for the convenience of other guests.

The program included musical tributes by siblings Alexander and Mary Bess; a reading of Word’s biography by Delores Vann, friend and member of East End Baptist Church; and Derrick Kimbrough, grandson of Word; a toast to Word and a tribute by all with the traditional singing of

&uot;Happy Birthday.&uot;

Others on the program were various family members and friends who made individual tributes to Word; Lawrence Kimbrough, grandson of Word; Dr. Mark Croston, pastor of East End, and Benford Hunter, who provided music during the event.

After the benediction was given, oldies, but goodies were also played by Hunter.