Published on: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

By Mary McHale

‘Neighborhood friend’ dies suddenly at 73

Samuel Verian Garvin Sr., who worked for many years with H&M Carpet & Tile, died suddenly Feb. 4. He was 73 and had lived in Skyline for more than 30 years.

Sammy (as he was known) was born in Allendale, S.C., on May 21, 1936, the youngest of the seven children of William and Queen Ethel Garvin. He graduated from the Allendale Public Schools and in 1956 moved to Washington, D.C. He went to work at the National Cathedral School where he met his ladylove, Yvonne Gerald. They were married June 15, 1958 in Goldsboro, N.C.

Sammy joined the Army in 1958 and served two years in Germany. In 1960 he returned home, worked again at National Cathedral School and then for years at H&M Carpet & Tiles. He was also with Coca-Cola Company for 10 years. He retired in 2002.

The Garvins moved to Lucente Avenue in Skyline in 1978 where, Yvonne says, her husband was “the neighborhood friend.” He liked to sit outside and greet passersby, or wander down the street and spend time talking with the neighbors. He loved to fish and travel with his family and was a devoted Redskins fan. For many years, he was a member of a bowling team. After he gave up the sport, he enjoyed Saturday mornings watching grandson Cameron bowl in a local league.

Survivors include his wife Yvonne; son Samuel Jr. and his wife Tracye; daughter Angela and her husband Dwayne Fernandez; four grandchildren, Tamara, Ebony, Verita and Cameron; and great-grandson, Malik Elijah, who was Sammy’s special delight. Services were held at Trinidad Baptist Church with burial was at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery.

Neighbors

I have two more Snow Heroes to add to the list of those who helped their neighbors during the February snowstorms—Louis Reed of Skyline and Charles Kent of Morningside. Also last week I neglected to list the name of my own snow hero son-in-law, John Mudd, who came from Laurel to shovel my walk and driveway.

Despite mountains of snow everywhere, Tina Nichols’ wedding shower was held Feb. 13, at the Morningside Firehouse, though it had been scheduled for a week earlier. Tina will wed Chasen Harrison later this month.

Sister Shaun Kathleen, who taught at the old La Reine High School, has e-mailed local people with this message: “Please pray for Robbie, a teenager out West who was hit by a car while running a marathon. Robbie (I have no last name) is in a coma. Thank you.” And I also ask your prayers for this young man.

David Allan Eichelberger Jr., former Morningside chief of police, pled guilty last month in Circuit Court to stealing a handgun from the town police department and illegally selling it. Sentencing will be  March 19. He has been replaced as chief by Eugene Mills Jr., a 30-year veteran of the Prince George’s County Police Department. When I met him, he told me he joined the PGCPD when John McHale was chief.

Motor oil project wins grand prize

Seventh-grader Lindsey Green was Grand Prize winner in St. Philip’s Science Fair last Friday. His entry asked this question: “How do temperature and the viscosity grades affect the flow of motor oil?”

Other winners placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively, are: sixth-graders Miranda Lee, Corey Evans and Sarah Mustafa; seventh-graders Lauren Glisson, Lauren King and Brooke Nieset; and eighth-graders Alan Pracht, Kelly Peaks and Destiny Johnson-Reynolds.

May they rest in peace

Sgt. Matthew A. Hinton Jr., 70, Air Force retiree, died Feb. 8 at his home in Auth Village. A native of Norfolk, he joined the Air Force in 1957 and served in Labrador and the Philippines.

After retiring in 1977, he worked for 22 years as a mortuary affairs officer at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington. He also worked at the old Cafritz Hospital. An amateur bowler for more than 50 years, he last competed in 2008 at the Lilac City Tournament in Rochester, N.Y.

He was the husband, for 51 years, of Catherine, and the father of Sandra and the late Felicia and Maurice Hinton. Survivors include two grandchildren, a great-granddaughter and two sisters.

Laurence Michael “Mike” Gray, roofer, foreman and estimator for 30 years at Corley Roofing & Sheet Metal Company, in Temple Hills, died Jan. 29. His wife of 26 years, Shirley; two children; and six siblings survive him. Services were at Trinidad Baptist Church with burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

Milestones

Happy birthday to Ricky “Deuce” Nichols II, March 3; Amy Schlor, March 4; Roy Derrick, March 6; Jon McKlveen, Shirley Dodgson and my grandson Richard Shearer, March 9; Karl Kaufman Jr., Angelo Meoli, Alberta M. Smith and my son-in-law John Mudd, March 10; Karen Cordero, Blake James Shipman and Father Scott Hahn, March 11. Happy anniversary to Tom and Sarah Shipman, their 51st on March 4; and Larry and Susan Frostbutter, March 5.