Thelma Doris DICKERSON

DICKERSON, Thelma Doris
Thelma Doris (Ellis) Dickerson, 87, of Manchester and formerly of Hartford, passed away peacefully on Saturday (February 18, 2012) surrounded by her family at Hartford Hospital. Born in Beckley, WV on May 20, 1924, daughter of the late Calvin and Ethel (Coles) Ellis, she was raised in Whitesboro, NJ and had lived in East Hampton before moving to Hartford in 1970. After graduating from high school, Thelma enlisted in the Women's Army Air Corps and served during World War II until her honorable discharge at the conclusion of the war. After returning from the service, Thelma continued her education at Temple University and earned a B.A. in Sociology. After moving to Connecticut, she took a position with the Moodus Public Schools and later taught at several grade levels and served as an administrator in the Bloomfield and Hartford Public Schools. An advocate of lifelong learning, she continued taking classes while teaching and earned a Masters in Education and her sixth-year certificate from the University of Hartford and had been working towards her Ph.D. in Education at York University in England. After working in the public school system for many years and serving on the Hartford Board of Education for 17 years, Thelma decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and she founded her own school in 1997 shortly after her retirement. Thelma Ellis Dickerson's Jumoke Academy Charter School was formed in 1997 and after several rocky years the school began to thrive. "Jumoke" which translated means, "where the child is loved," is modeled after Thelma's vision for what a school should be. The school's motto, "Children should be respectful, responsible, and ready to learn," has helped to earn the school national recognition and has created a learning environment that has led the school to be a leader in standardized test scores and educational excellence. A lifelong social activist, Thelma fought for the rights of the disenfranchised and those who didn't have a voice. She was a member of the NAACP and had worked diligently for the historic campaign to elect President Barack Obama, and she believed that everyone should have equal access to a quality education. She was also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and she was a longtime member of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Bloomfield. She leaves to mourn her passing, four sons, George Lance Sharpe of Springfield, MA, Michael Marion Sharpe of Hartford, Joseph L. Dickerson, Jr., Ret. Capt. U.S. Army and his wife Tracy McCoy of Manchester, and William Ellis Dickerson of Norwich; a daughter, Ethel Frances Dickerson of Hartford; eight grandchildren, Tanya L. Sharpe, Ph.D., Tasha M. Hosendove, William E. Dickerson, II, William A. Hosendove, III, Joseph L. Dickerson, III, Michele M. Sharpe, Kwadjo Dickerson, and Ellis Dickerson; and five great grandchildren, Brooklin Sharpe, Adrian M. Hosendove, Jeremiah Dickerson, Kayin Hosendove-Stewart, and Nazomi Hosendove. She was predeceased by a daughter, Lois Elaine Sharpe; three brothers, Calvin Ellis, Jr., Reese Ellis, and Marion Ellis; two sisters, Margaret Jackson and Fredrina Hawkins; and a grandson, Akim Sharpe.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, February 25, 12 Noon, at Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1154 Blue Hills Ave., Bloomfield. Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery, Bloomfield. Her family will receive friends on Saturday, February 25, 10 a.m.-12 Noon, prior to the service at Bethel A.M.E. Church. Thelma's family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Jumoke Academy, 339 Blue Hills Ave., Hartford, CT 06112. Carmon Windsor Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. For online condolences please visit, www.carmonfuneralhome.com.