By Cheryl Brown

Mrs. Gertha Mae Grant receives honors Sunday from the Mary Ella Inghram Missionary Society at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in San Bernardino. She was presented by president Marlene Sells as husband, Rev. James Grant, and pastor Larry Campbell choir and congregation look on.

Marlene Sells, Missionary President said, "People love her for her kindness, being selflessness, humble, her encouraging words of wisdom and just being an all around caring person," in presenting her.

For 57 years she and her husband of nearly 61 years served the ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal  denomination.

Mrs. Grant was born on November 14, 1929 in Warachie, Texas. She was the youngest of four children born to Sammie and Bessie Jewel Biggins. Her mother passed away when she was only seven years old and the family had to relocate to Dallas, TX.

In Dallas she was a proud graduate of the Booker T. Washington High School in June of 1948. She attended Paul Quinn College in Waco,TX and on December 15, 1948 she married her elementary school sweetheart that she has known since second grade. They will celebrate their anniversary on December 15, 2008. Four years after they were married the couple went into fulltime ministry. She worked beside her husband to pastor twelve churches, and build two churches, one of them being St. Paul.

After moving to San Bernardino she found time to attend Valley College. She was also employed for 50 years and broke the colorline at Woolworth's in Midland Texas. In California she worked for several retail companies including the upscale Robinson's-May Company. She retired in 1991.

"She worked 40 hours a week, was a fulltime first lady, mother to three children and one grandchild she raised from birth, wow what a lady," said Sells.

Her most memorable feat was traveling to the Holyland  to walk where Jesus walked.   

Mrs. Gertha Mae Grant, former first lady at St. Paul A.M.E., accepts her outstanding Missionary award as her family looks on. Her husband is Rev. James Grant, the pastor who built the present structure. (not in order) daughter Sharon Green, Rev. James Grant, Yvette Taylor, Kennedi, Jamie Du’Jon, Niggel Ward and James Grant, Jr.