Thank You Mr. Nettingham

….he’d tell you, “Blessed,” humbly and heartfelt in response to a question of his longevity.  A centenarian that devoted his life to his Lord, country, family, friends, community and all whom he encountered, Mr. Nettingham, on behalf of the world, I say thank you.

A Spiritual Commitment solidified his foundation of a loving husband, father and devoted family man, Brother Malcolm crafted the blueprint of living life for one hundred and one years, actually just a few weeks shy of his one hundred and second.  Only a few are favored with such a lasting life and I’ve yet to meet anyone else more deserving.  A staple of OUR community from whence we drew pride and admiration, respect and honor, nobility and humility; faith.

Mr. Nettingham’s accomplishments are well-known and documented.  He did it.  All.  But, his everlasting quality isn’t what you’ve read or heard, it’s what you felt when in his presence.  A good friend of mine (Craig Davis) and myself had the opportunity to interview Mr. Nettingham right before his 100th birthday and what struck me most was his calmness and confidence in his Savior.  Having had lived through Jim Crow, The Civil Rights Movement and an ongoing governmentally backed effort to second class citizens such as himself (remember the armed forces weren’t desegregated until 1948) you’d think his mindset would’ve revolved around those tumultuous times but, when remarking upon his childhood, he recalled getting ice cream with his friends.  He recounted how shy he was when he met his wife and how he still smiles at their first dance.  He was impressed with Dr. King’s oration and understood the ‘fight back’ attitude of the young people who followed Malcolm X and The Black Panthers, he didn’t necessarily agree with their methods but, he empathized.  His positivity was evident as he retold his days in the service again, with no mention of the abuse they endured and oh how he beamed when recounting the election of our nation’s first Black President.

Mr. Nettingham left us September 14^th, 2020, just two weeks shy of his 102^nd birthday.

He was dedicated to ensuring that his legacy carried on, not in a braggadocios manner but he knew the importance of history in how it shapes the future.  Unfortunately, so many of our elder spokes persons that were living testimonies to our national history have passed on and with that, that documentation died as well but, not Brother Malcolm.  If you were honored to meet Mr. Nettingham, you knew him and took a piece of history with you upon departure.  Of course I’ll miss his, “hey there young fella,” but rest easy sir, your impact upon this earth will be felt for generations to come.