Milford Dubose

MILFORD DuBOSE, son of the late Howard and Shoffie W. DuBose was born in Moss Point, MS on September 19, 1923 and departed this life on February 4, 2012 at the Genesis Healthcare, Catonsville Commons in Catonsville, MD after a brief illness. He was the fourth of ten children. His siblings, Lawrence, Willie Howard, Robert Carl, Bonceal, Kirkland and Norris preceded him in death. At an early age, he was nurtured in the Christian faith at the St. Paul Episcopal Church. He received his early education, elementary through tenth grade in Moss Point public schools. At that time, African-Americans in MS were prohibited from attending high school beyond the tenth grade. He and his sisters, Bonceal and Espernola, understood the importance of continuing their education and attended Monroe and Mobile County high schools in Alabama to complete the eleventh and twelfth grades. In September of 1942, he began college at Tuskegee Institute. A highlight of his secondary education was meeting the great American inventor and educator, Dr. George Washington Carver. He was honored to be one of the privileged few to help prepare Dr. Carver’s gravesite. He was required to join the ROTC, and was drafted into the United States Army in 1943. He was a WWII veteran, and as an engineering regiment member, traveled to France, England and the Philippines. He returned to Tuskegee after being honorably discharged to complete his education, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Mechanics and Bricklaying in May of 1947. He inherited a strong work ethic from his father. At the age of seven, he was actively involved in the family vegetable business. He picked, sold and shared vegetables with friends. At the age of twelve, he shucked oysters and cleaned shrimp at the local seafood plant. While at Tuskegee, he and a classmate from Baltimore, MD decided to start a construction business. After graduating, he moved to Baltimore and worked as a self-employed bricklayer and cement finisher. At the end of the construction boom, he joined the Federal Government, and retired from the United States Coast Guard in Curtis Bay, MD as a Warehouse Supervisor in 1982. For many years, he worked in the evenings as a part-time supervisory custodial engineer with Martins in Linthicum, MD. After retiring from the Coast Guard, he managed one of his brother’s properties in Detroit, MI. As he settled into the Baltimore community, he joined John Wesley United Methodist Church in 1949, and was a faithful member until his death. He was devoted to helping the youth, and served as Boy Scout Master for ten years with the assistance of his friend, Singleton Williams. At the beginning of each summer, he and the troop traveled to Broad Creek, MD for camping outings. He was also actively involved with the Disabled American Veterans. He was united in marriage to Dorothy Juanita Howard on April 8, 1950, until her death in December of 1965. He was united in holy matrimony to Daisy Anderson-Brooks on May 3, 1969. He loved gardening and cooking, and was known for making “homemade” root beer, 1-2-3 cakes, peach cobbler, gumbo and chili. He shared his cooking talent with his daughter, Danielle, when she was at a young age. A skilled bricklayer, he built structures on Tuskegee’s campus; the home where he resided and his sister-in-law’s home in Howard County, MD. He taught his brother-in-law the skill of brick masonry, and often said he could attest that his brother-in-law was a certified bricklayer. In addition to sharing his talents, he was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend to many, and teacher and role model to youth in the community throughout his life. In June of 2008, John Wesley presented him Father of the Year Award in recognition of his dedication, support and faithful service to his family, church and community. In March of 2010, he was honored by John Wesley at its Diamond Celebration for seniors who previously led the way for others. He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving and devoted wife, Daisy; three children, William (Maxine) Brooks of Baltimore, MD, Paula (Ernest) Lattimer of Severn, MD and Danielle (Robert) Phillips of Catonsville, MD; six grandchildren, LaTasha (Damon) Hughes, Lanita Hopkins, Chanel (Alexis) Tingan, Tiffany Brooks, Dasia Phillips and Niya Phillips; three great-grandchildren, Lanea (Kenneth Jr.) Cherry, Lindsay Hughes and McKenzie Hughes; two great-great-grandchildren, Kenneth Cherry III and Aaron Cherry; two sisters, Charlene of Mobile, AL and Espernola of Moss Point, MS; one brother, Cullen (Helena) of Okemos, MI; four sisters-in-law, Louise (Newton) Scott of Catonsville, MD, Ella Harris of Glen Burnie, MD, Phyllis Anderson of Glen Burnie, MD and Beatrice DuBose of Sharon Hills, PA; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

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Milford Dubose

September 19, 1923 - February 4, 2012