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Evelyn "Lebbie" Sellers celebrates her 90th birthday with family and friends
By ItLUU P MCMILLAN
COMMUNITY OOBRESFOmCNT
I "I fed just like I've always felt, no
Afferent," said Evelyn "LeMc" Sefl
?rs of her 90th birthday. "I think age
ft just a state of mind."
She and her husband. Augustus
king Sellers, have a simple recipe for
long life; "Be good to yourself. Go to
bed at night, and eat plenty of fresh
vegetables."
'? Sellers was born in Winston
Salem on July 10, 1909, to the Rev.
Kenneth R. and Vandelia Perry
Williams. Sellers was the oldest of
three children, including her brother,
(he late Rev. Kenneth R. Williams
Jr., and her sister. Gwendolyn Johns.
Kenneth R. Wilhams Jr. was the
chancellor of Winston-Salem State
Upiversty for 16 years beginning in
1961 and the former pastor of Fust
Institutional Baptist Church in 1942
before it became United Metropoli
tan Missionary Baptist Church in
1965. Sellers is still a member of this
church.
Surrounded by family, friends,
church members former neighbors
and former piano students, and stu
dents from her musical kindergarten.
Sellers enjoyed an outdoor lawn
party in her honor. Arranged by her
son. Waiter "Doe" Farabee. and his
wife, Carolyn, the gathering attracted
mote than 75 guests to Farabce's
home on Bethabara Road last Satur
day
"I'm sorry it rained," said
Farabee "But the spirit of the thing
did not die. Even though some sat in
the car until the ram subsided, they
came. This is the first time in 90 years
that I have given her such a celebra
tion. I thought it would be something
to honor her since she reached that
milestone. Her 90th birthday' I can't
think of anything better than that."
Farabee counts his blessings
daily, as he has both his parents with
him during his own golden years. Flis
children. Jay, Chris, Darhs and Wal
ter; and great-grandchildren, Chris
Jr., Catnris and Brianna. were all
smiles about the affair.
"I am in my sixties. At the age I
am, many of my friends' parents
have long gone. We are most hon
ored to have her among us," Farabce
said.
Guests came bearing gifts,
loaded envelopes, happy hearts and
well wishes.
"You are good for sore eyes," said
a longtime friend. "Both of you are
still looking good."
The Sellers were joined by two
tanner neighbors who are 92 years of
age Mozcil Miller and Ethd Brady.
Her (nstoc the Rev X W. Ballard,
and hit wife shared a laugh with Sett
ers at the gathering.
"She's my buddy. I love her to
death. She has a great sense of
humor." he said. "Sister Sellers is to
me like a cornerstone in our church.
She was here when I came in I9S9
and has always been here. She has
been one of the pillars, one of the
persons 1 depended on heavily in
establishing the worship of the
church, and she is a tremendous
musician," he said.
Her sister, Gwendolyn Johns,
said, "Evelyn has always been a good
singer. She started out wanting to be
a country singer, but she knew they
had a hard road."
Ballard described the spirit-filled
cantatas that Sellers presented for
Easter, Christmas and other special
occasions. A famed contralto, Sellers
directed the Senior Choir at the
church for 23 years. Gladys Watson,
a church member, has always loved
to hear Sellers perform the solos
"How Great Thou Art," and "If I
Can Help Somebody" during
revivals and special services.
Music has long been the center of
Seller's joy. She served as owner and
operator of the Jack & Jill Musical
Kindergarten for 35 years. Having
studied music at Tallcidega College.
Sellers trained with the following
voice coaches: Dicie Howell of Win
ston-Salem; Lula Ver Childress
Howard; Robert Weigeslec of Stein
way Hall in New York; and Emma
Otero of Carnegie Hall. As a soloist,
she has performed at many concerts
and churches.
Sellers described the atmosphere
at Talledega College as "very pol
ished. In those days we dressed for
class in the morning. There were no
jeans. Lord, no jeans We did not
know what jeans were. We even wore
our gloves and dresses to concerts"
she said. "They need to go back to
that. Now, when you dress you
think, 'Some of these kids with their
pants ofT their backsides' I don't
know What they are thinking about."
At Talledega, the students
changed their clothes three times a
day. When they went to supper, they
would change clothes again. At that
time, there were no scholarships but
Sellers and her brother arid sister all
went to college.
"All of us went to college, includ
ing our ipom and dad." she said.
Her mother. Vandelia Johns, was
an' accomplished pikmst who prac
ticed and performed regularly. When
musical artists would come to Win
ston-Salem and needed someone to
play the piano. Johns was often
called.
"The committee would come and
get her. That inspired me to want to
play as a child. Npw. that's a little
ancient history." she said. "I have
spent more than 60 years in musk. "
When Sellers left Talledega. she
went on to do concert work. She
even had a course in Carnegie Hall.
"1 had 'some good coaches. We
always did warm-up exercises and
followed w ith assigned songs in dif
ferent languages. I would stay on a
song until 1 got it right. Those musi
cians cfank it. You don't play with
them," she said.
Sellers instilled the same kind of
motivation in the children she taught
at her music studio. Evelyn Williams
Studio, which was located at 11th
and Gray avenues, and at the Jack
and Jill Musical Kindergarten.
Rochellc Brandon, now a gyne
cologist. was one of Sellers' piano
students in the sixth grade, and she
attended Jack and Jill. Brandon took
piano lessons with other students
from United Metropolitan Mission- i
ary Baptist Church, which included
Derrick Ballard, the pastors son.
"She was a lot of fun. and she
taught us many songs like "Jesus
Loves the Little Children." and 'He
Has the Whole World in His
Hands.'" Brandon said.
Brandon recalled one of Sellers*
former students. Rochelle Joyner. ,
who went on to the N.C. School of
the Arts and is still a classical pianist. 1
Natalie Kimbrough Summers
took piano lessons under Sellers
along with other African Americans
in the Bethania and Old Town com
munities.^.
"She gpt the whole community
involved My dream was for her to
play for my wedding, but I waited so
long it was not possible." she said.
Ruth Led better, the mother of
Yvette Hatcher, worked with Sellers
at Jack and Jill.
"Sellers and I have been friends
"for a long time, and she was wonder
ful to work with," Ledbetter said.
"If we had more teachers like
Mrs. Sellers, we wouldn't have all of
the problems in schools we have ,
today. More of them would learn dis
cipline, math, reading, social skills,
listening skills. She was caring, loving
and patient everything a good edu
cator should be." Hatcher said.
Ida Ruth Staplefoote was Sellers'
neighbor many years ago.
"Sellers is one my good neigh
bors We would call each other across - '
the fence, and she would give me 1
some of their fresh vegetables from
their garden," she said.
A poster of Sellers life was on
display. It included photographs of
her involvement with the Sigma
Gamma Rho Sorority, The Evelyn
Williams Choral Society, the Senior
Choir and The Book Club of Today
and hobbies such as reading, doing
ceramics, crocheting, growing flow
ers and cooking. Several members of
the book club attended the gather
ing: Maybelle Hedgeley, Selina
Nichols, Dons Hartsfiekt and Bar
bara Hayes
Louise Smith, president of The
Book Club of Today, described Sell
ers as "the only legacy of our club.
"Her mother was one of the
charter members of the club, and
Mrs Williams taught me music. Sell
ers is right there with us in the book
club, and she serves on the music
committee. She is a citizen who has
made great contributions to the com
munity. I remember her musical
radio program and her working with
the YWCA. She is really something
to sing about," Smith said.
tvatyn 'Ubbi?* 5oHart rocorvod aaittanca from grandson Waltor Foraboo Jr. in blowing out tbo combat
on bar colca during bar 90th birthday colobrorion.
Thm Rev. and Mr*. J.W. Ballard, of Unitad Metropolitan Missionary
Baptist Church, toagradulatad tvelyn "Lebbie"Sailor* on bar 90th
birthday celebration.
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