United Church of Christ
Spotlight
Valley of the Flowers
church council leaders
Walter and Lola Day.
Lola is also a frequent vocal soloist, founding member
of LMA, and the UCC’s
2007 Southern California
Lay Leader of the Year.
Remembering
Frances "Addie" Singleton
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West Virginia State College in 1952. She moved to California because she had two brothers here. One of them, in the Air Force, introduced her to co-worker Ted Singleton whom she married in 1956. She worked as a teacher as her husband received assignments in Ventura County, New Mexico, Germany, and Vandenberg AFB. Arriving at Vandenberg in 1969, she began a 21-year career teaching in the Lompoc schools. “I liked the kids," she explained. “It’s fun to see a child learn.” Ted passed away in 1998 and their son Myke is in Seattle. She had four siblings elsewhere in Southern California, but Addie remained in Lompoc. “I like it. My friends are here, my church is here. Everything I know about my life is here. I’m here to stay.”
And she remained active. During the summer of 2008 at the age of 79 she answered a call to take charge of the Barack Obama for President campaign in Lompoc. “I began to see it was something that could happen and I wanted to be a part of it. I saw it as a good fight, something to be in there fighting for.” When Obama won Addie was elated. “Somewhere deep in my heart I didn’t think it could happen. When it did happen I was overcome with joy.” She remembers putting down a hamburger at the Jalama Beach Café election night as she began to cry. “People always said ‘A black person would become president the day pigs fly.” Now we have Swine Flu,” she chortled in raucous laughter.
Addie arrived at our church in 1969 when Warren Mantooth, her principal at Crestview School and Lompoc’s first African American principal, invited her. “I like everything about the church. I like the people, I like the pastor. I like the music. I like the food. I like the children. I like everything about it.”
Addie passed away in the night May 30, 2011 from kidney failure as a result of a prolonged diabetic coma. She leaves a giant hole in our congregation and in our hearts.
. . . we love her too!
“I’m not a busybody, I’m just a body that’s busy.” That’s how Frances Adelaide “Addie” Singleton described herself between meetings of Beta Phi Sigma sorority, American Association of University Women, Delta Kappa Gamma and our church, which she called “The Church of What’s Happenin’ Now.”
At 5 foot 1 and 100 pounds Addie was not a wide body, but she was definitely active. “It’s a joy to participate in the activities for the advancement of other women,” she said. “I want to see women succeed, all women.” She graduated from
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More
Pastor: Chuck Arnold
Organist: Ruth Lee
Adult Classes: 8:45 am
Sunday Service: 10:00 am
Modern Gospel Music Rally
First Saturdays: 7:00 pm
LMA 2011-2012 Season
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