Chapter Remembers A Truly Great and Selfless Omega Man: Brother Phillip Ferguson

It may not seem readily apparent to members of the public, but the life of a true Omega man is always guided by the Four Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift.  It is often in the death of a great Omega man that those in the Fraternity are reminded of the wisdom and nobility of those Cardinal Principles while people outside the Fraternity get a true picture of what Omega Psi Phi is all about.  That was evident this week for the Brothers of Gamma Pi, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and our extended family of friends and community members who joined us in paying tribute to Brother Phillip R. Ferguson in the wake of his October 1 passing.



Brother Ferguson (left) greets golfers

When he passed on to Omega chapter after a lengthy illness, Brother Ferguson had spent more than 50 years as a member of Omega Psi Phi.  He had tirelessly served the Fraternity at the District and local levels, and had a quiet, but vast influence throughout Omega Psi Phi that spanned beyond the Second District into other parts of the country. Those connections linked to his activities within his own family, within his church, in support of his neighbors, in providing assistance to forgotten seniors, in helping nameless and faceless less fortunate citizens and in advising and guiding local youth.

True to Omega's spirit, he knew how to have a good time and make life interesting for those around him. But by the same token, he was always ready to answer the call of service to the Fraternity and the community. His service and responsiveness helped Gamma Pi earn the label, "The Super Chapter."  He is a past Basileus of Gamma Pi. For people who want to know "What do the Ques do?", they can simply read Brother Ferguson's life story for the answer. Second District Representative Brother Kenneth Rodgers called him "truly a staple in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity ... He is a legend."

Here is a short video snippet of Brother Ferguson on 50 years in Omega. This was recorded in 2009 by the Gamma Pi public relations team:

It was a trying, yet triumphant week as Gamma Pi, Omega Psi Phi and the Prince George's County and State of Maryland community laughed and cried together in remembering Brother Ferguson. Many of the exploits that Fraternity members and community members learned of this week during Brother Ferguson's Omega service (October 7) and his funeral (October 8) had not been shared before. For instance, there were stories of how Brother Ferguson packed his personal vehicle and drove church youth's luggage to Ocean City for retreats at his expense. Brothers heard about how on many occasions -- out of public view and public earshot -- he paid out of his pocket to send church members and young people to various camps and out-of-town meetings so they could enhance their knowledge.  He wrote letters and made calls for Brothers and others. He had a skill for bringing the right people together behind the scenes to make something positive happen for the greater good. He facilitated Uplift.

Perhaps the funniest story about Brother Ferguson came from a fellow chuch member who recounted how she called him at home one Sunday afternoon for expert advice on desktop publishing, only to be told, gently: "Sister, don't you know the (Redskins) football game is on?"



Omega Brothers prepare for Ferguson Omega Service 

More than 100 Omega Psi Phi members from the area participated in Brother Ferguson's Omega Service and even more people attended the funeral the next day. Several top local elected leaders -- including some who happen to be members of Omega Psi Phi and Gamma Pi -- spoke about him at the funeral service. The State Legislature sent a proclamation in his honor.

Brother Ferguson was a career military man who retired as a high-ranking officer. He also served his country as a Public Affairs professional in the federal government after retirement from the military. He was a trained musician and sang in various Fraternity chorales. He leaves a wife and three children, grandchildren and a chapter and Fraternity full of Brothers who will miss him, but will go on, as he would want, employing the life lessons he taught and walking in the imprint of his big shoes, literally and figuratively. 

Brother Phillip Ferguson is proof -- living proof, even in death -- that Omega men are about something positive, something much larger than ourselves, and it starts and ends with our unique and strong Brotherhood that can never be replicated by any other organization anywhere else. Only Omega. Only "Brother Phil" Ferguson. 

The photo above from this week's Omega Service was provided by Brother Eddie Epps of Gamma Pi chapter.



Brother Ferguson (far right) sings in a Fraternity chorale





Bro. Ambasador Taylor and Wife Still Making Headlines in the South Pacific

It is approaching one year since Brother Teddy Taylor, Gamma Pi's Immediate Past Basileus, left the streets of Prince George's County for the sunny shores of the South Pacific as U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Today, he is still making major diplomatic news for the U.S. and so is his wife, Antoinette Corbin-Taylor (Delta Sigma Theta).

Visiting with Australian defence officials

Recently, both the Taylors were featured in the regional press; Bro. Taylor principally for his work with the Pacific Partnership 2010 humanitarian assistance mission during their recent visit to and exercises in PNG and Mrs. Taylor for partnering with internationally known activist and photographer Ann Jones to exhibit the work of local female artists in the country.

Here are more South Pacific news items recently reported on Brother Ambassador Taylor:

This press release from the Australian Defence Ministry includes several photos of Bro.Ambassador Taylor touring an Australian ship as part of the U.S.-led Pacific Partnership 2010...

This news article from U.S. military public affairs talks about a jazz performance given for Brother Ambassador Taylor and other high-ranking officials in the region by the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band as part of Pacific Partnership 2010...

Brother Ambassador Taylor is pictured here with three Papua New Guineans in July who are headed to the U.S. as Fulbright Scholars...

Click here to send Bro. Taylor a shout out all the way to the South Pacific.

Gamma Pi Joins E.E. Just Foundation in Dedicating Statue for Omega Founder

Dr. Just's statue

It is the only school in the country named for Dr. Ernest Everett Just, a renowned and accomplished African American scientist who is widely known as a Founder of this Great Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. And sitting right at the front of the property of Brother Dr. Just's namesake school located in Prince George's County, Maryland is a handsome statute of Bro. Dr. Just's likeness. It is a significant and substantial tribute to his contributions to education and the sciences. On Friday, August 20, 2010, an absolutely beautiful day, Brothers from Gamma Pi joined other Omega Psi Phi members from the area and around the country to dedicate the statute to Brother Dr. Just at the Ernest Everett Just Middle School.

At the center of the yearslong effort was the Ernest E. Just Foundation, which is headed by Gamma Pi Brother Wesley Jarmon, Jr.  Brother Jarmon has spent several years working with Maryland State officials, the Prince George's County School Board and the Just Foundation as well as some family members to have the statue crafted and erected on the school property. Other supporters include the Omega Life Membership organization. Brother State Sen. Ulysses Currie also worked diligently on the project behind the scenes. Brother Jarmon sees it as more than just a statute and instead as an inspiration to students at the school to develop an interest in science and excel at it as Brother Dr. Just did. The inscription reads: "May the students that pass through these halls find the seeds of the spirit of learning that Dr. Just planted to enhance everyone's education." 

Bro. Jarmon

The statue is the handiwork of world class artist Antonio "Toby" Mendez, who was commissioned in 2007 to build the bronze casting statue. Brother Senator Currie sponsored a bill to fund the project. Nearly 200 people almost half of them members of The Fraternity attended the ceremony including local dignitaries, among them U.S. Rep.Donna Edwards and Brother State Senator Currie.

"I really think it was very successful. The symbolism of having a statue of Dr. Just for kids to go by and see every day is so important for them to aspire to what they want to do," said Brother Jarmon. "To know the struggles he went through to get to where he was, of course they can do the same thing.  That is something that will always be there as a constant reminder of what they can do."

The event was covered by the local Gazette. Read that news story here. Also, read a previous Gamma Pi LIVE posting on the early developments of the Just statue project.

Chapter Members Front and Center at 76th Grand Conclave

Already, several Brothers just back from Raleigh, N.C. are remarking that the recent 76th Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Grand Conclave held there was one of the most significant for the Fraternity and, for Gamma Pi, certainly the best ever. That sentiment describes Gamma Pi's experience during the July 22-30 Grand Conclave, which is the biennial international meeting of the Fraternity. Omega men all over look forward to every Conclave. In addition to conducting international Fraternity business, it is also a chance to fellowship with other Omega men from past years and faraway places.

One of the proudest moments for The Super Chapter was seeing Brother Kenneth Rodgers, a past Basileus of Gamma Pi, participating as a member of the Supreme Council through his newly elected role as Second District Representative for Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.  Another proud moment was when several Brothers received their service pins for reaching milestone years in the Fraternity: Brothers Barron Stroud and James Lundy (50 years); Brothers Giles Bragg, William Reese, William "Smitty" Smith and Hugh Williams (40 years); and Brothers Edward DeShields, Marc Ellington and Melvern McCottry (25 years each).

These Brothers served as official delegates for Gamma Pi: Brothers Maurice Calhoun (Basileus), Joseph Kevin Carpenter III, Darrell Dreher, Joe Felder (Keeper of Records and Seal), Dr. Harrison Foy, Dr.George Edwards,  Eddie High, Patrick Johnson, Warren Johnson, Tim McIntosh (Gamma Pi's first Basileus), Akima Rogers (Vice Basileus), Terry Rogers, William Talbert, Lovell Walls, Dave Washington and Dr. Alvin Williams.

Whether it is a service project for seniors, scholarship grants for youth, community cleanup projects or registering new voters in the county, Gamma Pi's service record and contributions to the citizens of Prince George's County is part of something much larger than just one chapter -- it is what defines and drives every single chapter of Omega Psi Phi worldwide.  That shared responsibility and the ideals it is built upon was never more evident than it was last week when 15,000 Omega men came together in Raleigh in the name of unity and the Four Cardinal Principles espoused by Founders Brothers Just, Love, Cooper and Coleman.

Here is a link to a Raleigh TV report of an Omega service project conducted in the community during the Conclave.  Also, enjoy photos below from Gamma Pi men who attended: