January 17, 2019 

LAWT News Service 

Nola Carter, was born in Shreveport, LA on April 15, 1918, where she finished high school and later migrated to Los Angeles, CA and attended Frank Wiggins College and Southwest University majoring in Business and Real Estate. She served as a member of her community’s Antwerp Environmental Block Organization and was once the vice president.

Ms. Carter later married and became the mother of ten children, which did not at all hinder her active participation in politics and community service that started when she worked to help elect Rev. Douglas Farrell to the California State Assembly. Also, as mother of a large family, she felt it was her duty to become a PTA member and eventually, representative for Russell Elementary School.

Busily engaged in the South Central area of Los Angeles, Ms. Carter realized that there were no facilities in the area for the treatment of mentally ill persons after encountering a mentally disturbed child who was not under treatment. She promptly formed a committee for the purpose of establishing such a facility and approached the area’s representatives, Assemblyman Leon Ralph and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn. To her surprise, and delight, preliminary plans were in the making for establishing a full service hospital that include services for the mentally ill. As a committee member, one of her major responsibilities was to assure that the hospital provided a sufficient number of patient beds which totaled 500. Thus, the Martin Luther King, Jr. hospital was established and served all of South Central.

Nola Carter involved her children in various community projects as part of a “learning process” which, in turn, caused them to develop intense community pride and ambition. Such was the case with Alprentice “Bunchy” Carter, one of her sons who — as a student at UCLA — organized and established a West Coast chapter of the Black Panther Political Party that served various communities by providing nourishing breakfasts for needy children and performing other vital community services. In year 2012, a commemorative photo stamp was issued recognizing Alprentice Carter for his contribution to African American accomplishments and history.

For Nola, her participation in one successful endeavor led to several others. She worked with the Neighborhood Adult Participation Program (NAPP) providing social services for homeless youths and later became director of its Florence-Firestone Center until 1982. Shortly thereafter, she started working with the South Central Multipurpose Senior Citizen’s Center (now the Lillian Mobley Multipurpose Center) as a volunteer providing needs for senior citizens. She later became the assistant director.

Also, she founded the Black Grass Roots Caucus and was president of Local Union No. ll8.

Ms. Nola Carter always delivered words of wisdom to those who were willing to retain the information.

She passed away on January 7, 2019, at 100 years of age. Gone but never forgotten.

 Nola M. Carter’s  homecoming service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m., at Angelus Funeral Home, 3875 S. Crenshaw Blvd., in Los Angeles.

January 17, 2019 

By Cora Jackson-Fossett 

Contributing Writer 

Education took hold of Dr. Genevieve A. Shepherd at a very young age. When she was five-years-old, she announced to her friends playing school, “I’m the teacher and if you don’t let me teach, I’m going home!”

Her love for learning and instructing others only grew stronger as she prepared to pursue her goal at Los Angeles City College, even after a counselor recommended her against teaching. Undaunted, Gen­e­vieve said to herself, “Just watch and see.”

That resolve led her to become a renowned educator in the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as a dedicated community activist in South L.A. Beginning her career as a teacher at Marianna Avenue Elementary School in East L.A., Genevieve retired after 57 years as principal of Tom Bradley Environmental Science and Humanities Charter Magnet School, a position she held for more than 30 years.

She inspired countless students, parents and everyone she encountered with affirming mottos such as “Anything a mind can conceive and then can believe, can be achieved,” “Go mad! Make a difference!” and “It is better to build children than to repair men and women.”

Genevieve’s life came to a close with her passing on Dec. 27, in Los Angeles.  A longtime resident of Leimert Park, Genevieve was 84-years-old.

A celebration of her life was held Jan. 5 at the City of Refuge in Gardena.  The officiants were Suffragan Bishop Gentry Richardson Jr., Bishop Robert Eth­eridge and Pastor Nisan Stewart.  Bishop Noel Jones, City of Refuge pastor, delivered the eulogy.

A native of Los Angeles, Genevieve was born on Dec. 1, 1934 to Mays and Geneva Andrews. Her father passed in 1941 and her mother later married Bishop William L. Smith, the founder of Bethlehem Temple Church in Los Angeles.

Her education includes an Associate of Arts degree from L.A. City College, Bachelor’s degree from California State College, Master’s of Science degree from Pepperdine University and a Doctor of Philosophy from Golden State University.

Genevieve was the recipient of several awards such as Distinguished Educator of the Year from California State University – L.A., Influential African American award from the National Action Network, Courage, Compassion and Conviction award from the National Media Women and the Outstanding Educator award from Interchange for Community Action.

In recognition of her accomplishments, the Los Angeles City Council designated the intersection of Dublin Avenue and 39th Street as “Dr. Genevieve Shepherd Square.”

A woman of strong faith, Genevieve accepted Christ at the age of four and was actively involved in her church. She served as corporate secretary, Sunday School superintendent, Christian Education advisor, trustee and in many other capacities at Bethlehem Temple.

Her husband of 52 years, Elder Edell Shepherd, as well as her parents, four brothers and two sisters preceded Genevieve in death.

Cherishing her memory are her children Edell (Star), Deborah (Michael) Blan­chette, and Jamie; three grandchildren, three great grandchildren, sister, Rita Mae (Euland) Grier, and many family and friends.

January 17, 2019  

LAWT News Service 

Isaac F. McTyeire was born to Isaac and LaVonne McTyeire on November 18, 1938, in Akron, Ohio. He was the younger of two children, with an older sister, Bernadine.

The family relocated to Los Angeles when Isaac was nine-years-old. He was baptized that year and developed a firm belief in God.  He attended Main Street Elementary School and John Adams Junior High School. It was there that he earned the life-long nickname “Shank” from his basketball-playing friends because of his tall, lanky frame. Following graduation from Manuel Arts High School, he earned a degree in Police Science from Los Angeles City College.

He served in the United States Army during the VietNam Crisis. After receiving an honorable discharge from military service, Isaac worked for Pacific Bell.

In 1976, Isaac formed his own attorney services company, specializing in process serving for over 30 years prior to retirement.

Bored with retirement, he began working in Distribution Services for the Los Angeles Watts Times newspaper, which was owned by his cousins, Charles and Beverly Cook, and their daughter Melanie (Cook) Polk. He continued in that capacity after the newspaper was sold to owners of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper.

Isaac loved jazz music, especially Miles Davis. He also enjoyed dancing to Latin rhythms, and was known for winning Cha Cha contests with his unique style of moves. He possessed a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed teasing.

When Isaac volunteered along with two other family members to take a genetic ancestry DNA test, he and the family took great pride when he received his certificate stating that they are descendants of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Africa. 

Isaac F. McTyeire transitioned peacefully in his sleep on December 6, 2018. He is survived by his sister, Bernadine Robinson; nephew, Gregory Cooks; niece, Renee Cooks; a great nephew, a great niece, two great-great nieces and one great-great nephew; and a host of relatives and friends to love and cherish his memory.  He will be deeply missed.