Sylvester M. Singleterry

SYLVESTER MELVIN SINGELTERRY, SR. departed this life February 17, 2018 at his home. He was the oldest living member of his family. He was born March 27, 1930 to the late Earlene Ben Bradley, in Sumter, South Carolina. Melvin attended Sumter public school and left home at an early age. March 16, 1982, Melvin met Katherine Jones and after a long friendship they were united in marriage eight years later, March 24, 1990. Melvin worked several jobs during his young life before moving. The first job he held was on a milk truck delivering milk, he cleaned a fish market and delivered groceries. Melvin later moved to Baltimore, Maryland before he was a teenager. He attended church at United Church of God in Christ, Baltimore, Maryland, where he was a faithful member for many years. As a teenager he worked as a shoeshine boy. His first adult job was driving a meat truck, working off and on at the waterfront. He worked at Lexington Market downtown Baltimore at one of the stalls cutting meat. There he learned how to d-bone and cut meat while watching other's. Melvin worked for Swift Meat Company for about one year and later went on to work for Armour and Company at the age of twenty-two until he retired at age 62. He later returned to Amour part time until he was 69 years of age, when he decided to fully retire. Melvin loves to cook, he was well known for his "Hot, Hot, Hot" minced barbeque, fried cabbage, chicken noodle soup, and corn bread. He also made the best apple, peach, sweet potato pies, and coconut cakes. Melvin's first plane trip was to Portland, Oregon, to include a trip to Washington State. He has also taken a flight to California. In June of 1982, he drove to Florida to meet his step grandmother and cousin for the first time. The car was packed with oranges he had picked. He stopped in South Carolina and filled the car with watermelons and bought some penny candy. He loved to travel, whether he was driving or taking the Greyhound bus. Melvin traveled by Greyhound from Baltimore, Maryland to Salt Lake City, Utah, and went with family members to Chicago, Illinois; Dallas and Abilene, Texas; and Lawton, Oklahoma, where he and other family members visited the Wild Life Refuge and saw various types of wild life such as buffalo, longhorn cattle, and visited The Holy City. Of all the traveling Melvin has done, his most joyous mode of transportation was driving. He has driven to Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Philadelphia, and New Jersey so many times if it wasn't against the law he could have done it with his eyes closed. Melvin is known to family as a caring, kind, and loving person who will do whatever he can to please others. He has several names he's known by such as, Dad, Grand Dad, Melvin, reds, and the pet name his wife reserved for him, "Pennsylvania Slick". He has a longtime friend named Paul of 60 years, two Armour friends Handy and Hank, and many Pressman and Fulton Avenue checker players. Melvin continued to travel, and he enjoyed life to its fullest, until he was no longer able to do so. His wife and sister in law, Carolyn would pack Melvin up and take him wherever they would travel. He became a rider and no longer the driver. Sylvester Melvin Singleterry, Sr., leaves to cherish his memory, a wife of the home, Katherine Singleterry; step daughter Wanda and husband Joseph Watts; two sons, Prentise and Sylvester, Jr.; three daughters, Sharon Brown, Angela Gatsey, and Floretta Boone; one daughter in law Marshall Singleterry; mother in law, Ceddra Jones; six sister's in law, Mary Jones, Carolyn Matthews, Christine Jones, Dixie Jones, Sandra Jones, and Tamara Jones; four brothers in law, Frederick Matthews, James Jones, Michael Jones, and Mark Jones. Fifteen grand-children; eleven great-grand children; a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins; and many special friends he's made through his journey of life. Melvin was preceded in death by his first wife Geraldine Bowman Singleterry, son, Robert Singleterry, stepson, Kevin Milton, and friend Louise Boone.

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Sylvester M. Singleterry

March 27, 1930 - February 17, 2018