Emily Cleveland

With faith as her guide, Emily R. Cleveland was an extraordinary woman who lived her life to love others. No matter where she was, it was impossible not to see the beauty that emanated from her every fiber as an outpouring of the Christian faith that was such a cornerstone throughout her life. Emily touched the hearts and lives of not only the family she adored, but also so many within her community through her profession as a nurse and minister. She was dedicated to caring for her children and grandchildren, who have now become her greatest legacy. The early 1920s were a collage of interesting events. There were power struggles in Russia, Babe Ruth was setting baseball records, and the first Miss America was crowned. In the thriving segregated city of Atlanta, Georgia, Robert Thomas Smith, Sr. and his wife, Ruth Pearl (Pixley), were thrilled to share their exciting news with their family of the birth of their beautiful daughter, Emily Ruth, on January 18, 1923. Emily was the second of five children with an older brother, Robert Jr., and younger siblings, Bert, Leon and Naomi. Emily led a typical childhood of the time, growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta and attending the area schools. Education was an important part of Emilys life, and she broadened her mind and knowledge every chance she got. It all started in the summer of 1940, after Emily graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. She enrolled in classes at Morris Brown College, but after only a semester, she changed her career goal and began training as a military nurse (this was part of an initiative by Mrs. Mary McCleod Bethune and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt to increase the number of Negro Army nurses during World War II). In 1944, Emily proudly graduated as one of 31 Negro nurses from Grady Hospital. After passing her State Boards, she joined the Red Cross and entered the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant. As part of her basic training at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, Emily supervised the care of Japanese Prisoners of War. She then became a U.S. Army Staff Nurse at Fort Huachuca in Arizona for the next couple of years, though she spent 3 months in Florence, Arizona caring for German Prisoners of War. Emily received an honorable discharge in 1946, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with the rank of First Lieutenant. Once back home in Georgia, Emily became a nurse at a Rapid Care Center in Alto. On August 23, 1946, Emily walked down the aisle to take the hand of the love of her life, John Randolph Cleveland. The newlyweds settled into married life together in Muskegon, Michigan, where John found work in the Lakey Foundry. Meanwhile, Emily enrolled in classes at the University of Michigan School of Public Health for a semester, before becoming the first African American nurse at Hackley Hospital, working as the Supervisor of Pediatric Care. A year later, in 1947, Emily found a spiritual home among the congregation at Bethesda Baptist Church, where she was a devoted member for the remainder of her life. In 1952, Emily and John moved to New York City where Emily worked as a New York City Public Health Staff Nurse. After a short stay there they moved back to Muskegon and welcomed the birth of their son, Gregory Phillip. Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Emily went back to working at Hackley Hospital as the Head Nurse for both the Mens Service Department and Womens Ward. Then, In 1962, she became a Staff Nurse for the Muskegon Public Health Department for the next 4 years. Just before Emily left the health department, something wonderful happened a beautiful baby daughter, Christina, was added to the family. Although Emily had a growing family, who she loved dearly, she continued to care for those in the community working as an Assistant Director of Nurses at General Hospital (1966-68), and a Staff Nurse at the Muskegon Developmental Center (1968-76). If family and work werent enough, Emily also went back to school at Western Michigan University, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies in 1974. Once again, Emily was a pioneer in this area of study as she was the first African American woman to obtain this degree at WMU. Two years later, she earned a Master of Arts in Communication from WMU. With this new field of study, Emily went to work at the General Telephone Company in 1976, setting up health services for their employees. After a fulfilling career, Emily finally retired from nursing in 1978. She and her husband John then started traveling more extensively to places like Tahiti, Hawaii and Mexico, among others. Being retired also gave Emily more time to devote to her precious grandchildren: Tracy-Ann, Jessica-Rae, Tianna and Anthony. She was in her glory surrounded by their love and smiles. While Emily was retired, her quest for knowledge wasnt quite finished. She returned to WMU and earned a Masters of Public Administration and Certificate in Holistic Health Care in 1995. During this time, she worked as a Substitute Teacher for both the Muskegon Public Schools and the Benton Harbor Area Schools. Then, in 2001, Emily received her third Masters degree from WMU in Educational Leadership. As a woman of great faith, church was always an important part of Emilys life. A lifelong member of Bethesda Baptist, she served her congregation in various capacities over the years, including as a Deaconess, choir member, Trustee, and active with the Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. Like her father before her, Emily wanted to invest in her spiritual community and became a licensed and ordained Minister in 1993. In later years, when she moved to Benton Harbor, Michigan to live with her son Gregory and his family, Emily began attending both Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church. As Emily went through the challenges of Dementia and Alzheimers, she was tenderly cared for by her son, Gregory, who kept his promise to never place her in a nursing home. A loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend, Emily will be fondly remembered as a staunch Christian, avid scholar, talented seamstress and wonderful cook. She was the STRONG Matriarch of the Cleveland family and has left an outstanding legacy for her family to follow. Emily Ruth (Smith) Cleveland, 88, formerly of Muskegon, Michigan passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2011, at 3:21 p.m. at Lakeland Health Center in St. Joseph, Ml as a result of a hemorrhagic stroke. Emily leaves to mourn her passing and cherish her precious memories her son, Attorney Gregory Phillip (Gloria) Cleveland of Benton Harbor, MI; her daughter, Christina Arlanda Spears of Panama City, FL; granddaughters, Tracy-Ann & Jessica-Rae Cleveland of Benton Harbor MI, and Tianna M. Cleveland of Panama City, FL; grandson, Anthony R. Spears of MD; great-grandchildren: Chloe Symone and Bryant Gregory Jennings of Benton Harbor, MI and Ava Leanna Ruth of Panama City, FL; sister-in-laws, Cleora Smith of Atlanta, GA, Ladybird Strickland & Frances Hodges of Willingboro, NJ; and a host of other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, and husband, John Randolph Cleveland, in 1991. Funeral services will beheld on Friday, August 12, at 11:00 a.m. and visitation 1 hour prior to the service at Bethesda Baptist Church with Rev. Charles W. Poole officiating. Interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. Please visit Emilys personal webpage at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you may share a memory and/or sign her online guest book.