MEMORIAL SPIRIT
Remembering...
Melvin
T homas Burgess ,Sr .
Melvin Thomas Burgess, Sr. was born
on May 23, 1938 in Memphis, Tennessee to
Katherine Gilder Burgess and Eddie Burgess.
Melvin graduated from Booker T. Washington
High School and served in the United States
Air Force. Melvin attended Grambling State
University and graduated from Memphis State
University.
On April 27, 1962, at the age of 23 Melvin and
fourteen others successfully completed the
Thirteenth Session of the Memphis Police
Academy Basic Training. He and his fellow
classmates brought the total number of Blacks
in the department to twenty-seven, the highest
number of Black officers in the history of the
Memphis Police Department (MPD) at that time.
During his tenure with MPD, Melvin attained
every rank from patrolman to his appointment
as Director in 1992. As Director, it was often
said that Melvin was “tough but fair”.
MAY 23, 1938 - JUNE 28, 2018
17171717
1717
S P I R I T M E M P H I S
GRACE TEMPLE MINISTRIES COGIC
Grand Opening
33
MAYOR
JIM
STRICKLAND
PASTOR
THOMAS
BRADEN
FIRST LADY
ARPHELIA
BRADEN
S P I R I T M E M P H I S
Boston Baptist Church
Legacy Awards Celebration
37
Boston Baptist Church celebrated several members
at a recent Legacy Awards event at Mt. Moriah
East Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dr. Ydell Ishmon serves as Senior Pastor
following the late great Pastor Oris Mays.
This grand celebration acknowledged the faithful
service of the following members:
ANNIE LANE
SARAH BEATRICE CLARK HAMILTON
LIZZIE B. FORD
GLORIA DELORIS JACKSON
JESSE JAMES GARRETT
BERNICE L. REED
LEVERNE BUTLER
ELIZABETH MURPHY CLAYTON
ANN DELORIS CHILES DAVIS
CORA JONES WHITE
MAGGIE MAE ANTHONY
JOYCE MARIE TOWNSEND DAVIS
MARY TOWNSEND
DORIS L. MOORE MALONE
LORNA MALESA VAUGHN NELSON
REV. JOHNNY ALBERT NELSON, JR.
/www.spiritmemphis.com