Chrysteen Winfrey Richard's Obituary
"She who knows that enough is enough, will always have enough"
On May 28, 1934, I was delivered by a midwife at our home in Carroll County, Mississippi. My parents, *Elmore and *Beatrice Woods Winfrey, were excited to welcome another daughter to our loving and growing family. I was the seventh of nine children and was affectionately called "Sister" by my siblings and "Tanky" by my father. I grew up in a tight and loving family which included four wonderful sisters: *Earlene Winfrey Harrison, *Marie Winfrey, Marvie Winfrey Frazier, and Katie Winfrey Sims; and four loving brothers: *Lee Winfrey, *OVertis Winfrey, *Trenton Winfrey, and *Vernon Winfrey. I was taught the importance of family from an early age, and this led me to center my life around mine.
I grew up near Hudson Community Center in Carroll County, Mississippi. I accepted Christ and was baptized in a creek at Tuckerville Church near Vaiden, Mississippi. In 1947, I moved to Kosciusko and graduated from the Attala County Training Center in 1951. The "training center" label was an attempt to suggest Black children were only being prepared for industrial and menial work, not professional careers. This label" didn't stop us from learning!
To be well educated is to have the desire as well as the means to ensure learning never ends"
After high school, I headed to Mississippi Vocational College (now known as Mississippi Valley State University), but on the way, I made a life changing decision. While dropping off another young lady at Coahoma Junior College in Clarksdale, Mississippi, one of the administrators told me I should try out Coahoma. I did, and this is where I met Bennie, my future husband. After graduating from Coahoma in 1953, Bennie was drafted into the Army. He proposed before leaving, but I told him, "We better wait until you get back and make sure you are really ready."
I then attended Jackson College (now known as Jackson State University) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. I also joined the greatest sorority in the world - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, Delta Pi Chapter, in 1955. I obtained a Masters of Arts in Elementary Education from Indiana University, one of the few institutions at that time that allowed Black people to pursue post graduate degrees. Can you imagine having to drive from Mississippi to Indiana just to learn?
My Marriage, My Family, My Career: It was Enough for me.
In 1955, Bennie returned from the Army and it turned out that he really was ready. And so was I We were married on December 23, 1956. In 1957, we joined New Hope Baptist Church, where I served in the choir, Bible Training Union, and Deaconess Ministry until my health declined. In 1959, Bennie and I moved into our house at 3611 Westchester Drive. I've always valued substance over show. I never needed a large home or my name in lights or any fanfare; designer labels were never important to me. You see, I knew that the best things in life weren't actually "things." We stayed in that same house for over sixty-six years. I was married to one man, the same man, for over sixty-eight years. As the number of years we were married increased, I used to jokingly tell people (but it was true), "We've been married over - - years, and I ain't never went upside his head, and he ain't never went upside mine!" That was my humorous way of saying that we had a strong marriage and had built a good and fulfilling life together.
The importance of education had been instilled in me, and I dedicated over thirty-five years to teaching thousands of students in the Jackson Public School District. I taught at Mary C. Jones, Baker, and G.N. Smith Elementary schools -with G.N. Smith being closet to my heart. I taught second grade there for twenty-nine years. According to former students, I impacted countless lives. After retiring, I enjoyed simple pleasures: reading, sewing, cooking, participating in the senior dance group, the Retired Educators Association and, of course, family.
Even though I was retired, I knew education didn't end just because I was no longer in the classroom. I never stopped being an educator; I agreed with Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world."
My love for children was evident through my service as a longtime educator, but nothing compared to the love I had for the three children God blessed me with. Despite hoping for a girl, I raised three fine sons: Crandall Lavell Richard, Tony Bennae Richard (Sabrina), and Bennie LeNard Richard (Carol). I raised men any parent would be proud of - I know I was! I often told people that my boys never gave me a day of trouble and I wouldn't have traded any of them for the world.
When I thought my home and heart had reached its love capacity, God blessed me with the greatest jewels this world has to offer - my grandchildren: LaShele Dennae Richard (Dewayne), Tony Bennae Richard II (Precilla), JaMarcus lymere White, Zion Chrysteen Richard, Zachary Daniel Lee Richard, Zaire Winfrey Richard, Tristan Thierry Salavant-Richard, Chloe Lauranie Salvant-Richard; my great-grandchildren: Ian Bennae Millage, Laylon Corinth Millage, and Worthy Analise Richard. I tried to impart the same love in each of them as I had their fathers. I spent time teaching them mnemonics to help them remember things such as the orbit of the planets (My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles) and rhymes such as "I" before "e" except after "" to spell certain words. I was still correcting improper grammar and doing crossword puzzles until my last days.
I spent my last years in the home of my baby son (Bennie LeNard) where I passed away peacefully, surrounded by my loving sons, devoted husband and other family members that loved me - and that I loved with my whole heart. I am grateful for my sisters, and the wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and a host of other family and friends who visited, called, and checked on me in my last days.
People measure life in various ways. While many focus on status or income, I measured my life by love given and love received. I often told my loved ones, "Rich" is in our name. So, please know I left this world a millionaire because my life was "Rich" in love, "Rich" in blessings, and "Rich" in joy.
What’s your fondest memory of Chrysteen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Chrysteen?
Share a story where Chrysteen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Chrysteen you’ll never forget.
How did Chrysteen make you smile?
