Dorothy Singleton, the new Centenarian

Dorothy Singleton, the new Centenarian

By Anthony Carter

     Please join four generations of family members as we wish Dorothy Singleton a happy 100th Birthday.              

     Answer: The oldest of 11 siblings, six girls and five boys. She was born in Newton, GA., on Sept. 4, 1912, to the late Lester and Hattie Mae Williams. 

     Question: Who is Dorothy Singleton, Fort Lauderdale’s newest Centenarian?  If you haven’t guest it, Jeopardy is her favorite television game show.

     Her father, Mr. Lester ‘Papa’ Williams, was a sharecropper on the land of Mr. Henderson Hall.  In 1918, Papa moved the family to Weirton, West VA where he found work in the steel mill. The family later returned to Newton, GA., in 1922, when Dorothy was 10.

     Growing up as a child in Newton, GA., Dorothy’s most fond memories were picking up pecans from the rows of pecan trees in front of their home, caring for the hogs, chickens, cows, picking peanuts, baking sweet potatoes in the fireplace, and grinding sugarcane to make cane syrup. 

     In 1934, Dorothy married Mr. Hossie Singleton.  After visiting relatives that relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Hossie and Dorothy followed suit by moving to Fort Lauderdale in 1942.  There the family lived in the green apartments on the corner of 15th Avenue and Third Street.

     Shortly after moving to Ft. Lauderdale, the family joined Piney Grove First Baptist Church in the spring of 1942.  Dorothy began to serve her church immediately.  She has been a member of the Adult Usher board for 69 years and held the office of Secretary of the Sunshine Club, a church support organization from 1966–1969.

     After being injured during a train accident, her husband Hossie purchased a lot at 425 NW 17th Avenue for $800 cash and moved the family to this location in 1954, where the family still lives there today.

     When asked about African Americans living during this time, Dorothy stated that everything a person needed was located along 6th Street.  At that time, some of the 6th Street land marks were: Provident Hospital, Badcock Furniture Store, Moss’ Fish Market, Dillard’s Shoe Store, Hargrove Record Store, Hankerson’s Bait and Tackle Store, and The Victory Theater to name a few.

     Dorothy also stated that she never believed that there would be an African American President of the United States in her life time. “I voted for him in the 2008 election, voted in the Aug. 4, 2012 election and will be voting to re-elect President Oba-ma for a second term in the 2012 election”, said the enthusiastic Centenarian, Dorothy Singleton.

     Happy Birthday Ms. Singleton from all of us here at The Westside Gazette!!