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A Lifetime Achievement Celebration for Joan Bolden
Special to The Truth
On Saturday, March 28,
2015 from 4 pm to 6 pm, there will be a “Lifetime
Achievement Celebration” for Joan Bolden held at Third
Baptist Church, 402 Pinewood Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43604.
Various musical groups from around the city will be
performing. The celebration will be followed by a reception
in Bolden’s honor. All are invited to attend this
celebration of love as we give Joan her flowers while she
yet lives.
Joan Bolden, or JoAnn, as
she is known by her friends and family, was born on
September 15, 1946 in Toledo, Ohio. She is the oldest
daughter of the late Deacon Thomas G, and Lessie Mae Graham
Jr.
Bolden is a 1964 graduate
of Jesup W. Scott High School. After graduation, Bolden
attended Alabama A & M University from 1964-66. She also
attended Toledo’s Stautzenberger College.
She accepted Christ at the
age of 11, was baptized at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist
Church under the pastoral leadership of the late Rev. Elijah
Benton. At the young age of 13, Bolden became the music
director and accompanist, eventually, of five different
choirs at the church. They were the Senior Choir; the No. 2
Choir; the Inspirational Chorus; Grace Ensemble: and the
Youth and Young Adult Choir. Joan played at Mount Zion for
27 years, while at the same time serving as musician for the
Toledo City Wide Male Chorus Union for 25 years.
In the year 1989, Bolden
came to the Third Baptist Church under the pastoral
leadership of the Rev. Langston C. Bannister. She became the
musical director of the Adult Fellowship Choir, and later
the Women of Genesis and the Men’s Chorus.
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Bolden’s musical training
began classically under the tutelage of the late Mary Bell
Shealey when she was only eight years old. Being rooted in
the Baptist church, she was playing gospel music by the time
she was 12, and accompanied her own family (The Graham
Singers) during her twenties and thirties.
Bolden has been a faithful
member of the Toledo Interfaith Mass Choir for 25 years, and
also sang with the David Carter Symphonic Choir for 15
years. As a soloist, she has graced many Toledo area
churches, and also accompanied other church choirs and
soloists.
At the 189th
session of the National Baptist Convention, she received the
Gospel Legends Award. Then in 2012, she was awarded the
Music and Performing Arts Award by the Toledo Branch of the
NAACP.
Bolden has one sister,
Tommie McGhee; one son, James Ruffin (Aletha) two daughters,
Sharisse Rowell (Rev. Chris), and Leslie Bolden. Six
grandchildren, James Ruffin Jr., Sakiya Bolden-Hills,
Jasmine Ruffin, Chris Rowell Jr., Joshua Rowell, and Caleb
Rowell.
Other family members
include two nephews, two nieces, two great nephews, three
great nieces, two cousins, extended family, and a multitude
of friends. |
