Page 7 - 5-29-15 Friday's Edition

Local
Family Members Shocked Over Sudden Death Of Matriarch
Very few people in East Tampa can say they don’t know who Pastor Tommie Mae White- Williams is. Sitting on the northeast corner of Osborne Avenue and 30th Street is a blue cin- der-block home that Pastor Williams called home for more than 50 years.
It was inside that home on Sunday, May 24th where Pastor Williams was prepar- ing her Sunday dinner when she suddenly passed out. Although an ambulance was called, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. She was 84-years-old.
In her lifetime, Pas- tor Williams filled the roles of pastor, mother, grandmother, caregiver, feeder, shelter and sur- rogate. She managed to raise 11 of her children as a single parent into adulthood, and still found the time and en- ergy to raise, house, clothe and feed count- less others.
Born in Leslie, Geor- gia in 1930, Pastor Williams was mostly
PASTOR TOMMIE MAE WHITE WILLIAMS
raised on a farm and at an early age, she quit school to work in the fields. She supported herself by picking cot- ton, shaking peanuts and driving a wagon.
In 1946 after giving birth to her first child, Pastor Williams and her son moved to Gulf Hammock, Florida. They lived with her ant for 10 months and even- tually moved to Tampa.
On November 11, 1947, Pastor Williams gave her life to Christ. At that time she was under the lead- ership of Pastor Mary T. Jones of The Pente- costal Church of God. She later came under the leadership of the late
Bishop General Coleman. Under that leadership, she served as a devotional leader, secretary, organizer of the Monday night prayer band, co-founder of the Sunrise Prayer Band and State Mother. She was also the Assis- tant Pastor for 11 years.
When Bishop Coleman passed, Pas- tor Williams became pastor, and served in that position for 21 years.
Although Pastor Williams has lost sev- eral of her family mem- bers over the years, she continued to be blessed with 37 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, and 30 great-great grandchildren.
Family members said they will always know Pastor Williams as someone who never turned any- one away who needed help, and it didn’t mat- ter what your situation was.
Family members have not finalized arrangements for a serv- ice.
Celestar Corporation Plans New Building In Tampa Heights
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
With development projects taking place all over the city, the Tampa Heights community has not been ignored. With the opening of Water Works Park and the Ulele Restaurant, the area is beginning to experience an economic resurgence.
Joining that growth will be the Celestar Cor- poration.
According to Gre- gory Celestan, CEO of Celestar Corp., his com- pany will be building a 4- story, 60,000 square-foot building on the corner of Highland Avenue and 7th Avenue, just east of the Ulele Restaurant.
Celestar Corp., head- quartered in Tampa, han- dles a series of government contracted projects, and has team members throughout the country and overseas.
“We decided to relo- cate from our current headquarters near the fairgrounds,” said Ce- lestan.
“This move is to get us closer to downtown and
GREGORY CELESTAN CEO, CELESTAR, CORP.
be a part of the city’s busi- ness district.”
Celestan said they will be occupying only 15,000-square-feet in the new building, and the overall plan is to include retail and housing.
“We started working on this plan a year ago, and now we’re looking for tenants.
“We seriously want to be directly involved in the area, especially with all the redevelopment proj- ects going on in Tampa Heights.”
Celestan said jobs will be generated, and they will be partnering with the University of South Florida to set up a training program.
“We hope to break ground in 2016. I don’t want to just lease the land
and building. I want to own it, because that’s how you grow.
“We’re using Beck Construction, because we like their designs and we want to fit in with what’s already going on in the area.”
Celestan said there will be minority partici- pation in the design and construction phases of the project.
“I took a long look at the area, and felt the loca- tion was perfect. Once we get started, more in- vestors will come to the Heights area. We want people to come because it’s a good business deci- sion.
“There will be road improvements and other infrastructure changes with this project, includ- ing a roundabout. Also, property values in the area will be increasing and this will help a lot of people and bring more businesses into Tampa Heights.”
Celestan said the plan is to have the major- ity of the building space leased before construc- tion begins.
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-A