Elsie Singfield Blackshear went to be with the Lord on Sunday, September 20.
Elsie’s age is a story unto itself. Having been adopted at 5 years old because of the death of her biological parents, she grew up with the understanding that her birthday was August 4, 1922 making her now 98 years old.Many decades later, as a result of genealogical research to locate her birth family and biological beginnings, her original birth certificate was located and the date thereon was May 4, 1921, making her now 99 years old. Because President Barack Obama’s birthday is also August 4, she claimed that date as her birthday but always added that she was 99 years old.
Raised with her brother, Aubrey, by George and Carmen Singfield, she had two biological sisters – one older, one younger, and one biological younger brother, all now deceased.
Born in Savannah, GA, she was educated in the Savannah public school system and graduated from Beach High School in Savannah. On December 25, 1940 she married Frank Blackshear in Savannah and they were blessed with seven children: 4 sons – Frank, Jr., Leonard (deceased in 2006), Dwight, and George; 3 daughters – Elsie Antoinette, Carmen, and Nannearl.
Seeking better opportunities to provide for their growing family, they moved with their two young sons to Harlem in 1943 and a year later purchased their home in Queens, where their other five children were born.
In 1975, with six of their children successfully living on their own, they moved with their youngest daughter from Queens to Staten Island.
Determined to obtain a college education, in 1985 she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the College of Staten Island. Priding herself as a homemaker and raising, as she declared, her “Magnificent Seven”, over the years she worked from time to time as a nurse’s aide, a visiting nurse, and teaching literacy and multiculturalism to elementary school children.
Growing weary of New York winters, she and her husband became snowbirds between NY and FL, and in 2001 moved permanently to their home in Kissimmee, FL. They continued to travel nationally and internationally until her husband’s health began to decline.
Committed to volunteerism, over the years she served as a Cub Scout Den Mother and a leader in the Women’s Society of Christian Service at Brooks Memorial Methodist Church in Queens. She was a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW).
In 2011 she moved to New Haven to be closer to her eldest daughter. Throughout her time in New Haven, she was a faithful member of Dixwell Avenue Congregational UCC where she served on the Church’s Missionary Board.
Throughout her life her favorite pastimes continued to be reading (especially biographies), traveling, going to the movies, Broadway plays and playing Scrabble.
She is survived by her children: Frank, Jr. (Tina) of Kissimmee, FL; Elsie Chapman of New Haven; Dwight of Campbell, CA; Carmen Shortt of Rego Park, NY; George (Larraine) of Windsor, SC; and Nannearl of Brooklyn. Her son Leonard pre-deceased her in 2006 and his widow, Patsy Baker Blackshear of Edgewater, MD has always been like another daughter. Her husband of 67 years, Frank Sr., predeceased her in 2008.
Also left to cherish her memory are 11 loving grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, a favorite biological niece Joann Dawson of Miami, FL and a host of other nieces, nephews, and friends.
Her favorite phrase and one she would want to leave with everyone gathered: Keep on keepin’ on!
A beautiful woman in every way.