St. Paul AME – Dallas, Texas Celebrates Men and Women’s Day
On June 3, 2018 at 3:00 pm, St. Paul AME Church honored two deserving community servants in a 3:00 pm celebration service. Ms. Matty McKinney Johnigan was honored as Woman of the Year and Dr. George O. Willis was honored as Man of the Year. Both honorees have been faithful members of St. Paul AME for more than 50 years and are well known for excellence in service to the church and the Dallas community.
Ms. Matty McKinney Johnigan joined St. Paul in 1958. She is a native of Houston, Texas and graduate of Texas College in Tyler, Texas; she also completed graduate studies at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. Over the years, she has served in several leadership roles including Steward Board, Church Secretary, Class Leader, Church School Teacher and as member/officer in the Charity Cole Davis Women’s Missionary Society and member/officer in the Lay Organization. In the past 25+ years, she has been known for her legendary service as leader of the St. Paul AME Jail Ministry which has ministered to over 6,000 residents and with 1,000 residents giving their lives to Christ.
The Honorable John Wiley Price (Dallas County Commissioner) presented special recognition to Ms. Johnigan for her work in Jail Ministry at the Lew Sterrett County Jail over the past two decades. In presenting the plaque, the Commissioner lauded the importance of such programs in helping to bring hope and restoration to inmates who have often been separated from their families and the community in general for several years. Ms. Johnigan also received a plaque from the AME Greater Dallas District Lay Organization and the Charity Cole Davis Women’s Missionary Society of St. Paul AME.
Dr. George Oliver Willis is a 90-year-old retired educator who enjoyed a 50-year stellar career in education. Born May,1929 in Quitman, Texas, he received his early education in that city, graduating from Quitman Colored High School in 1946. He graduated from Jarvis Christian College in 1951 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in French, followed by a, language certification in French, a Master’s in Education Administration and a Ph. D. in Education. Dr. Willis served as classroom Teacher in several Dallas Public Schools and was promoted to principal—a position he held for 26 years culminating in his being named Principal of the Year. Following retirement from Dallas ISD, Dr. Willis continued to make a significant difference in the lives of young people as an educator at Collin County Community College (Plano, Texas), Bishop College (Dallas, Texas), and Southwest Christian College (Terrell, Texas). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to education, he was named Professor of the Year at Southwest Christian College, inducted into Jarvis Christian College Pioneer Hall of Fame, and named a Living Legend in Education in Dallas. A devoted Boy Scout Troop master for 40 years, Dr. Willis received the organization’s highest award, the Silver Beaver. At St. Paul AME, Dr. Willis served as Trustee for many years and has led many church programs and initiatives. The Honorable Kevin Felder (Dallas City Councilman) presented a plaque to Dr. Willis for his dedicated service to the Dallas Community on education. He enumerated the various schools where Dr. Willis has served as Classroom Teacher and as Principal concluding with accolades for his shining example of service youth in the Dallas Community. Dr. Willis also received awards from his alma mater, Jarvis Christian College, and the Boy Scouts of America.
Rev. Damon Blakeley, Sr. (Pastor, St. Paul AME Church) thanked church members, family, friends and special guests for their presence at the program and invited everyone to join in celebrating the honorees at a reception in the church Fellowship Hall immediately following the program.
