Marion County native Edmond Fordham navigated a world of racial segregation as he served in the U.S. Air Force and the public school system. Fordham s daughter, Krista, said her father always commanded respect in every role he filled, despite even the harshest discrimination.
Fordham, now 93, was born in rural Fort McCoy, about 15 miles east of Ocala, and lived near the intersection of the main crossroad. His father drove a truck, and was a laborer and a farmer. His mother worked for the Cooks, a white family that owned a store in the community.
Fordham said his parents, Sadie and Louis Fordham, strongly encouraged him to get a good education.
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As all good things must come to an end, an even better one is coming. Keith Oliver will be returning to LZ Lakehawk next week.
But before I say “farewell,” I’d like to highlight a young man who has had great accomplishments in his high school career and a promising future ahead of him.
Umatilla senior Brayden Price, who commands the school’s Army JROTC battalion, has been awarded a full scholarship to Stetson University in DeLand.
The first scholarship was awarded in December to fully cover his freshman year, but Price was worried that he wouldn t be able to afford the following three years, until an email from Stetson’s ROTC program arrived.
A critically acclaimed costume designer, AJ Garcia worked in high-school, college, community and professional theaters across Central Florida and last year saw one of his costumes put on display at Walt Disney World. He died Sunday at age 47.
LEESBURG Lilly Parker was crowned Miss Lake County three weeks ago.
Now, the 18-year-old Umatilla resident is making plans to share her story with others through community service projects and personal visits to women s shelters.
“I had some personal issues during my childhood,” Parker said. “Things I won’t go into here, but I share with girls and even women who have been through similar experiences. I want to inspire them to not let it define them.”
After surviving some traumatic experiences, she began getting the help she needed from the right people.
But she found herself still struggling with her self esteem, image and worth.