Mrs. Lucy A. Davenport

Mrs. Lucy A. Davenport, 84 of Decatur, GA passed on September 20, 2024. Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. at Shiloh Baptist Church 1150 Westview Dr. Atlanta, GA. Interment Lincoln Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, October 4, 2024 from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Rainbow Park Baptist Church 2941 Columbia Dr. Decatur, GA 30034. Please express your condolences on our website. Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory South Dekalb Chapel 404.241.5656. Lucy Agnes Davenport Lucy Agnes Davenport, known as “Ms. Lucy,” was born on February 12, 1940 in Watkinsville, the largest town and county seat of Oconee County, Georgia. She was the seventh child, and fourth daughter of fifteen children born to Mr. Henry “Buddy” Davenport, Jr., and Etta Cadellia Sims Davenport. She was united in marriage to the late Rev. Robert J. Bostick. Without question, Agnes was an active learner, and who from birth loved to write. She would develop into a smart, educated, and skilled industry worker, then into a respected business woman. In the early days of her career Agnes worked at various historical establishments and engaged with notable historians in the city of Atlanta. As a result of these experiences, she took the time and liberty of documenting her legacy on notebook paper as she wrote her own story that she wanted to become her obituary. Childhood/Family Life Agnes was raised along with her siblings in several rural areas of Watkinsville, Bishop, and Farmington, Georgia. In late December 1949, the family moved to Lawndale, Cleveland County, North Carolina. While living in these areas, agriculture and farming was a way of life that Agnes considered “a gift from God.” Her father plowed the fields, and the whole family worked in the fields for their livelihood. During these times, the children began working in the fields as early as three-four years old. They tended to the vegetable gardens, cattle, pigs, hogs, and chickens. They also kept the yards and house cleaned. All year long, wood burning logs had to be gathered up from the woods or taken from the wood shed to be used to cook food, keep the house warm, or to heat up water that was drawn from the well that was used for bathing or washing clothing and bed items. During the Fall of the year was the lowest time for her. She had to pick the cotton, pull the corn, gather up the vegetables, dig up potatoes, and pick fruit from the trees or ones that had fallen to the ground. She would help her mama prepare the fruits and vegetables for canning and storage for the winter. Agnes was a lively little baby girl who had survived a serious illness at 6 months old. One of her best childhood memories is that she received only one spanking, which occurred when she was five years old, and that was because she started a fire that burned five bales of cotton. Education During the winter time was when Agnes would get her school lessons done. She began school at the age of five when there was no kindergarten or pre-school so it was a blessing to have older siblings. Agnes was eager to learn and would cry to go to school with her older siblings. During play times, the older children would play games that included math, spelling and reading. This motivated the younger children to learn. At the age of four she was taught to read by her oldest brother, James “Jimmie” Carey. Her sister Lillie taught her how to write. This early learning foundation helped her to later excel in all of her classes, and she remained an honor student throughout her entire school years. When Agnes’s family moved to Lawndale, North Carolina in 1949, she attended the beloved Douglas School. It is at Douglas that Agnes met several life-long friends, including Carrie Bell Key (who would become her sister in-law when Carrie married Calvin, Agnes’ brother) and her best friend for life, Rosa Nell. Agnes was frequently selected and called upon by her teachers and teachers from other schools within the school area. She could recite the Gettysburg Address at the age of eleven, and was chosen to represent the elementary school division to compete in the county-wide spelling bee contest. She came in second place due to the pronunciation of the word “calendar” which was pronounce incorrectly as “call-ender” by the moderator. The memory of her disappointment from this encounter would be with her for over fifty-six years. At the age of twelve, she wrote a poem about a tree, and her poem and the shirt she made were put on display at the county fair where she won first place and a blue ribbon. While in high school, she was the first runner up for school queen. She was a majorette and also participated in the high school rhythm band. She took sewing classes and made a shirt for a baby. The family moved back to Georgia on December 24, 1953, where they settled in Atlanta. Agnes then attended Anderson Park Elementary, Henry McNeal Turner High, and Booker T. Washington High School, where she graduated. Being that Agnes was an aggressive learner, she continued her education at Georgia State University and Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University). She also attended evening classes at Atlanta Area Tech and DeKalb Tech. Through her post-secondary education Agnes received various certifications in the field of business management with a specialty in hotel and restaurant management, nutrition and food service. She was a licensed, certified dietitian. Church Life Sunday school was a part of life for Agnes. Here is where the foundation of her faith in God was continually built upon. She became a member of the Lawndale First Baptist Church in North Carolina at the age of twelve where she served as a Sunday school secretary. At the age of fourteen, she started singing in the choir. She later joined the Simpson Road Baptist Church in Atlanta, in l958. From there, she joined the Greater St. John Baptist Church in Atlanta where she sang in the choir and participated in other activities that included the Willing Workers, Pastors Aid Committee, and Sunday School Secretary. In March 1981, she participated with a group to organize a new church. She and her sister Henrietta suggested the name should be First Canaan Baptist Church, which is located in Scottsdale, Georgia. That name was accepted and still remains today. She continued to sing in both the adult and senior choirs, and took part in organizing and supervising the youth choir. Additionally, she initiated the breakfast program specifically for the children to have a full hot breakfast before attending Sunday school. This was extended to all members and visitors. Her faith has carried her through various challenges from the age of six months old to adulthood, including a serious car accident, a hospitalization, and the previously mentioned serious illness as an infant. With the prayers and support of her minister, friends, and family, she continued to faithfully serve God until she was beckoned to come home and be with the Lord. Employment Agnes began working as a baby sitter at the age of fourteen, then on to cleaning, mopping, and preparing food in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and schools. She also worked as a cashier, and maid. Her outstanding work ethic began at an early age, that of three years old when she displayed these characteristics while working the farm and vegetable fields with her dad. Agnes worked, in two separate stints, in Dietary Food Production at Grady Memorial Hospital for a total eighteen years. She was the Lead Dietitian and 9th Floor supervisor for twelve of those years. After twenty years and six months of service there, Agnes retired in 2004 from the Atlanta Public Schools where she had worked as a Cafeteria Nutrition Manager at East Atlanta High School (now Thurgood Marshall Middle School) for eighteen years, and Continental Colony for 2 1/2 years. The Business Woman While working at Paschal’s in 1967, Agnes met a Buckhead-based dentist, by the name of Dr. Gerald Reed, who spoke with her about establishing a franchising business along with two other gentleman, those being Julian Bond and Henry “Hank” Thomas. That conversation then in 1968 resulted in a business partnership between the four parties of initially one, and then four, owned and operated restaurants. The business operated under the name Hank Thomas Enterprises. Within that entity, the restaurants included three establishments known as Wishbone Fried Chicken and one Dairy Queen Franchise. The Wishbones were located at 1583 Simpson Rd; 2500 Gordon Rd; and at 360 Auburn Avenue. The Dairy Queen store was located at 346 Ashby Street, the present-day site of the Morehouse College football stadium. Lucy Davenport led the company through financial challenges and then to profitability. While that initial partnership ended in the late 1970’s, Hank Thomas Enterprises continued-on to own and operate a Burger King franchise, on Cascade Rd, nine McDonald’s locations around metro Atlanta, and five Marriott Hotels throughout the southeastern United States, and did so until 2020. In addition to the restaurant franchises, Agnes also operated a commercial catering service for over thirty years. Historical Moments While Employed and Beyond Agnes had the opportunity to work at various notable historical establishments in Atlanta including the Waluhaje Hotel, on West Lake Ave, and the famous B.B. Beamon’s Restaurant on Auburn Ave, where she worked for five years. Two of those years she worked seven days a week from 12:00 am to 8:00 am. She also worked as a trainer and head waitress at Paschal's Brothers Restaurant that was owned by brothers Robert, James, Gilmer, and Horace. The restaurant included a hotel, Atlanta’s first Black-owned hotel, which was used for the parents and friends of graduates of the Atlanta University Center. Paschal’s was one of the most popular African American establishments in Atlanta, as it was located on Hunter Street (now MLK, Jr. Drive) during the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, while working at Paschal’s, she met several entertainers, singers, business people, civil rights leaders, and many supporters of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She was proud to have had the opportunity to personally serve him. The day of his funeral, she had to work long hours at the restaurant to help serve the throng of people who came from around the world to pay their respects to Dr. King. She also had the opportunity to view his body in the Sisters Chapel located at Spelman College. In 2005, Dr. Mae Armster Kendall, the first African-American professor at the University of Georgia, consulted with Lucy Agnes Davenport to write the book “Paschal: Living the Dream”, An Inspirational Memoir by James Vaughn Paschal. In addition to consulting, Agnes also has a passage in the work. The book is forwarded by former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. While working at Grady, she met Dr. Asa Yancey, who is professor emeritus, Emory University School of Medicine, and former medical director of the Hughes Spalding Pavilion at Grady Memorial Hospital. He also graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Asa Yancey recommended that Dr. Hamilton Holmes become his successor. Dr. Yancey’s son became the E.R. Director at Grady Hospital, one of the most renowned trauma hospitals in the world. Agnes was high school classmates with both Dr. H. E. Holmes and Charleen Hunter-Gault, who integrated the University of Georgia in 1957. Always Remembered Agnes was preceded in death by four brothers: James Cary Davenport, Edgar Hue Davenport, L.B. Curtis Davenport, and Alvin Spencer Davenport; by three sisters, Henrietta D. Little, Clara Louise Allen, and Alma J. Roberts; by her eldest son Joseph David Davenport; and by two grandsons, Joseph II and Jamal. Her memories will linger on with her children, James, Steve, Lydia and Lance. Six grandchildren, Lyndia, Nicole, Jacinta, Dana, Jasmine, and Adrianna. Nine great grandchildren, Jahree, Kailee, Dominique, Jayda, Jaden, Josiah, Kye, Krue, and Raegan. Brothers, Calvin Davenport (Willie Mae), Virgus Davenport, Retired USMC Staff Sargent Samuel David Davenport (Theresa), and Carl Edward Davenport (Alice). Four Sisters, Lillie Watson, Sara D. Wall (Lonnie), and Brenda Ann Floyd (Arthur). The Sims Family, Atlanta and Athens, Georgia. The Maddox Family, Americus, Georgia. The Willie H. Jones Family, Dayton, Ohio. Friend, Rosa Nell (Key) Byrd, Lawndale, North Carolina.

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Mrs. Lucy A. Davenport

February 12, 1940 - September 20, 2024