Honoring Asheville’s Living Treasures

These amazing Ashevilleans are (L-R) Lucille Flack Ray, Mary Parker, and Jessie Coleman. Photo: Urban News

Staff Reports

The Asheville Living Treasures committee has chosen its first laureates, who will be honored this month for their lifetimes of service to the community. The four remarkable Ashevilleans are: Jessie Coleman, the late Hyman Dave, Mary Parker, and Lucille Flack Ray.

Family, friends, and the community will gather from 1-3 p.m. on May 22 at First Baptist Church on Woodfin Street in downtown Asheville to celebrate both the youthful spirits and the dignified grace of these four honorees. Their Oral Histories will be housed in the Ramsey Library, Special Collections at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Asheville Living Treasures was established in October 2010 for the
purpose of recognizing valued elders of Asheville and Buncombe County
who have devoted their lives to making our community a better place to
live. Organizers hope that their shared history of community service
will inspire others, young an old, throughout Asheville and Buncombe
County, to understand that one individual can make a real difference in
this world.

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto her nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
~ Emily Dickinson 

The committee expressed great sadness that Hyman Dave passed away just weeks before the ceremony. His death at Crowfields condominiums on May 6 came just six months after he celebrated his 100th birthday.

Founding members of The Asheville Living Treasures Committee are Carol Kessler (chair), Carmen Ramos-Kennedy, Donna Schutt, and Marnie Walsh.

Celebrations will be held in the spring and fall each year.  Nominations for the 2011 Fall Program will begin mid to late summer. We encourage everyone to participate. Our treasures represent our best values. They are fine role models for all generations, providing inspiration with their hope, heart and wisdom.

Biographical sketches compiled by Marnie Walsh

For more information, contact Carol Kessler at (828) 505-7259, Marnie Walsh at (828) 298-2231, or [email protected].