Gratitude For My Parents And Their Love

April is the anniversary of my parents birth. Dad was born on April 5, 1927 and Mom was born on April 29, 1926. They were together for 50 years. Their love for one another, their family, and their friends were powerful. In an earlier blog post I shared my mother's obituary. Here is my Father's obituary: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cecil Augusta Prescod, youngest son of the late Charles and Augusta Prescod was born on April 5, 1927 in Jamaica, NY. Cecil went home on September 10, 2004 after a brief illness. Cecil was an "ole timer" of Jamaica. He attended P.S. 116 and Jamaica High School. He enlisted in the Armed Services on June 29, 1944 and served until his honorable discharge in 1953. Cecil me Eleanor Pollard in 1945. They were joined in marriage on October 22, 1954 and from this union Cecil, LaVerne and Denise were born. Cecil was a man who was never satisfied by sitting still. He held many jobs; he worked for Duggan's Bread Co., the U.S. Post Office, and then decided to go to school to become a butcher. Upon his graduation he went to work for A&P supermarkets until he retired. Cecil wasn't satisfied with being a retiree and went to work for Creedmoor Psychiatric Hospital. When he retired from Creedmoor, he became a NYC School Crossing Guard because of his love for children. Cecil became a member of the St. Alban's Congregational Church United Church of Christ in 1969, where he joined the Inspirational Choir and Bowling League. He wanted to do something for the younger members of the church so he started the St. Alban's Congregational "Saint" basketball team. His other activities included being the District Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America, umpiring for the Jamaica Central Little League, volunteering at the St. Alban's VA Hospital, serving as an auxiliary policeman for over 20 years, and making every basketball game his grandsons and granddaughter had. He believed that keeping involved kept him young, and if there was something going on in the neighborhood Mr. Prescod know about it, rest assured he was always there; the neighborhood gave him the nickname of "Pop", or Poppa Prescod. On September 10, 2004 Cecil departed this world to join our Father in Heaven. He leaves to mourn his wife Eleanor; one son, the Rev. Cecil C. Prescod; two daughters, LaVerne Paniagua and Denise Slater; four grandchildren, William H. Turnage III, Emery L. Slater Jr., Nikole Prescod, and Nathaniel Bruce; one great -grandson, Jaylen Lewis; one sister, Migglon DeSa; two sister-in-las, Willie Stanford and Florence Prescod; two sons-in law, a very special friend, Mr. John Gibbs, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and an infinite amount of friends. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dad and Mom thank you for your love, care, and devotion. I love and miss you. Eternal Rest grant them O Lord.