[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 21]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 28986]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                JAMES P. CHEEVER 100TH BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 31, 2007

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor and congratulate 
James P. Cheever, who will be celebrating his 100th birthday on Sunday, 
November 4, 2007, at Tony Reception Palace, in Hialeah, FL. Many of his 
family, friends, and church friends will be in attendance to celebrate 
this momentous occasion. He was born on November 7, 1907, in Sylvania, 
Georgia. He is the middle child of 6 siblings, with 1 remaining sister, 
Ruby Cheever.
  He was educated in the Sylvania school system. At the age of 22, he 
met and married Edna Mae Striggles. They were married on December 22, 
1929. They shared 58 years of marriage until her death in 1987. Their 
union was blessed with 4 children, James P. Cheever, Jr., Henry 
Richmond Cheever, and Margie Beatrice Mayes. Their daughter Fronita 
Cheever, died at a very young age.
  He has 10 grandchildren, Gregory Cheever, Gail Washington, Glenda 
Jimeson, Anthony Cheever, Aundrea Mayes, Carey Cheever, LaEatrice 
McMurray, Laketia Cheever, Vincent Cheever and Tonya Linde. He has 25 
great-grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren.
  As many others did during the early 1900s, he earned a living by 
farming land in Georgia. Although farming provided a modest living, he 
and his wife wanted a better quality of life for their family. In 
November of 1947, he moved his family to Miami, Florida.
  After arriving in Miami, he worked several odd jobs to support his 
family and he started working for a major construction firm, Benidick 
and Jordan Construction Company, in 1950. He was the only African-
American man hired at that time to tie steel for the company and became 
the top man for the construction company.
  In 1962, he left the construction field to work for the Dade County 
Public School system. During his employment with DCPS, he worked as 
Lead Custodian at Brownsville Junior High School and Carol City 
Elementary. He retired from DCPS in June of 1973. After retirement, he 
launched his own Lawn Service and was known by many for the meticulous 
lawn care he provided his customers.
  James is a God-fearing man who dedicated is life to the Lord at a 
very young age. While living in Georgia he was a member of Lawton Grove 
Missionary Baptist Church. When he relocated to Miami, he moved his 
membership to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Liberty City, where 
he became a deacon on January 14, 1954, under the leadership of Rev. 
James E. Brown.
  Several years later he moved his membership to become a founding 
member of Greater New Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, located in 
Brownsville, under Pastor Rosco Jackson. He still attends services 
regularly and currently serves as the oldest deacon on the deacon 
board, under the leadership of Rev. Sherman Mungin.
  James and his wife bought their first home in Florida, in what was 
known as Brownsville, in 1956. The property was acquired by the County, 
to build a public park, in 1969. They then bought and moved to the home 
in which he still resides, located at 3801 N.W. 186th Street, Miami 
Gardens, Florida.
  As the patriarch of his family, he loves attending family functions 
to see the four generations of his children. He is still very active, 
he enjoys fishing at the lake, vegetable gardening and watching 
baseball games. He always has a quick smile and something witty to say. 
He is a man of good report, full of spirit and the wisdom of years.
  Madam Speaker and my colleagues, I ask that you join me in honoring 
James P. Cheever today. I hope we all have the good fortune to live 
such a full life as he has. He is a great man and his family and 
friends are very proud of all of these achievements.

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