(MOBILE, Ala.) – A void is being felt in the city of Mobile as a community mourns the death of Dr. Yvonne Kennedy, who passed away Saturday following a brief illness.

Kennedy, a woman Mobile Mayor Sam Jones called a “pillar of the community”, will be remembered for her leadership and commitment to the city.

A longtime state representative, she was elected to the state house in 1979.

Kennedy was the second permanent president of Bishop State Community College, appointed in 1981 after its namesake Sanford D. Bishop Sr. died. She has been credited with overseeing major growth to the campus. She retired from this position amid a financial scandal in 2006.

A woman who wore many hats, Dr. Kennedy was a past chairwoman of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, and was national president of international organization Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., to name a few.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley remembered Kennedy in a tweet.

“She was a fine lady who represented her district well,” he wrote.

Bentley is expected to call a special election in the coming week to fill Kennedy’s seat.

A Tribute to the Late Dr. Rev. Wesley A. James

As members of Franklin Street we are part of a rich legacy.

The ones who came before us so carefully preserved and taught these values.

Franklin Street has a history of birthing and hosting great individuals:

People about their Christian business, people of substance, people of purpose.

We are here today to honor Reverend James and this legacy he is part of.

We gather here, not because he’s gone, but because he was *here.

I’d like to reflect for a moment with a poem I wrote inspired by this church and those who came before.

“The Measure of a (Hu)man”

What is the measure of a man?

To his or her family, peers, to the community,

Such that his or her legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of others, and in edifices that stand for generations?

Every statue, every placard, every revered gesture says something significant about the character of every lauded, or even unsung, hero.

The things about a person that we hold dear to our hearts, that intangible memory that sings to our souls—it uplifts and encourages, and often immortalizes an ordinary human being, making that existence as mysterious as myth.

To capture the essence of the measure of a man, to understand the importance of an ordinary person’s ascent to prominence, and to explore the environment such greatness is nurtured in—that’s a feat every human should embark on in order to find him or herself.

 

When we speak about the transition from good to great, I believe we are speaking of something that lies within us, that leaders like Reverend James spoke of and believed in.

When I think of Reverend James, these words come to mind:

 

Wise. He was a person people would call on for council.

Encouraging. He encouraged others to use their gifts and talents for God.

Selfless.A tireless community leader, he would often rise from his sick bed to help others.

Loving. I think of children’s dedicatory period of my youth, and I remember how he would call for all youth to come to the front, we would gather around, and he would relate Biblical stories in a manner we could understand.

Everyone considered him a friend. Reverend James had friends in very high and low places.

Youth oriented. He understood the importance of training up children in the way they should go. He watched me and many others grow, helped groom the youth of the church in a Christian manner. Those that grew up under him are better for it. He has played a very important role in my life.

 

These and other things that encompass the many facets of a man—husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, leader, pastor—that we will always cherish, are a testament to how God will favor us if we live our lives according to God’s will.

 

As we reflect on the tremendous impact left by Reverend James let us not forget the songs he sang, the laughter, and the love that continues to resonate. What lies between the walls of this church encompasses a lifetime of worship that began generations ago—and today, we honor the visionary leader who has faithfully ushered us into what is to come.