101 years ago in Augusta, Georgia, Mamie Edwina Dugas Elliott was the third born of five children of the marriage of businessman, Henry Clayton Dugas and educator, Mamie Aiken Coles. Her birth name was Mamie Edwina but as a young child she declared, “Mamie” was her mother’s name; she was “EDWINA”.
Edwina received her formative education at Haines Normal Institute in Augusta, GA. She went on to attend Fisk University for 2 years where she was a member of the famed Jubilee Singers. She later transferred to Talladega College where she was inducted into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. in 1929 and received her undergraduate degree in 1931. Edwina continued her studies at Atlanta University’s Whitney M. Young School of Social Work. It was there that she met her future husband, classmate George Forriss Elliott, known as “G. Forriss”. The two graduated with their masters of social work degrees in 1933.
Following an extended courtship, George and Edwina married on September 14, 1935 and moved to St. Louis, Missouri to begin their lives together. From this union were born Forriss Dugas Elliott (1938) and Sharon Coles Elliott Williams (1950). Her husband George preceded her in death in 1977 and her daughter was killed in an auto accident in 1985. As evidence of God’s enduring Grace, she received a new “daughter in love”, in the form of Cynthia, whom Forriss married in 1985. As a tribute to “Mama”, Cynthia added Edwina’s maiden name to her own and has thereafter been known as Cynthia Lawrence Dugas Elliott, M.D.
George became a social worker for the St. Louis Public Schools’ Division of Pupil Personnel Services and Edwina served as a social worker for the Bi-State (Missouri and Illinois) Chapter of the American Red Cross providing social services to the families of military personnel during World War II and the Korean War; eventually advancing to Agency Director. During this period she also worked as Adjunct Professor and Field Service Supervisor at both St. Louis and Washington Universities Schools of Social Work. She retired at age 62 and devoted her remaining years to family, church, and community service. The Elliotts’ were devout members of All Saints Episcopal Church.
After celebrating her 90th birthday at home in St. Louis, Edwina relocated to Atlanta, Georgia to be closer to family. She insisted on finding a church home immediately, and encouraged her son and his wife to join St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where her late cousin Thaddeus Shelton Coles (“T. Shelton”) once belonged with his wife, Dr. Julia Fountain Coles.
In the eleven years that Edwina lived in Atlanta, her son, daughter-in-law, grands and great grands celebrated her life as well as her life’s work. She was honored by the Red Cross for her years of service to their organization; by the Susan G. Komer Breast Cancer Association for being amongst the longest living breast cancer survivors; and by Clark Atlanta University for being their oldest living alumnus. In 2005, Clark Atlanta reconfirmed her social work degree and in 2008 Edwina participated in CAU’s commencement ceremonies for her 75th class reunion. Both Talladega College and Clark Atlanta University acknowledged Edwina’s 100th birthday with a proclamation from the institutions presidents. Famed TV personality, Willard Scott, also paid his respects to Edwina with an on-air “Smuckers Salute” from the Today Show on February, 22, 2009. But her greatest feat and happiest moment of recent years was voting for President Barack Obama.
Edwina was preceded in death by her parents, H.C. and Mamie Dugas; sisters, Mauvene Alexander (Fredrick), Theodora Coleman (Winson), Leola Balasco (Ed), and brother, H.C. Dugas, Sr.; daughter, Sharon Coles Elliott Williams; and nephew, Winson Coleman.
Her sweet spirit remains embedded in the memories of those surviving:
Her son, Forriss Dugas Elliott, Sr.; “daughter in love”, Cynthia Lawrence Dugas Elliott; and sister in law June Dugas;
8 Grandchildren: Troi Christine Elliott-Hockett, Forriss Dugas Elliott, Jr. (Shirley), Marcus Kenneth Elliott (Heather), Adam Daryl Elliott (Stephanie), Samantha Elliott Briggs (Calvin), Julius Williams, Janel Williams and Jaclyn Williams;
16 Great Grandchildren: Jamil Hockett; Jahaad Jackson, Solomon Elliott, Brandon, Alexander, and Cairn Walker; Sophia and Alexandria Elliott; Lauryn and Addison Elliott; Chane’, Micah, and Elijah Briggs; Samyra Wade; Aniyah, and Ashley Hayes.
Nieces: Grace Coleman Edwards (Bobby), Edwina Coleman Clark (Louis), Theodora Alexander Green, and Denise Dugas; Nephew: Henry C. Dugas, Jr.; Grand Nieces: Vera Witherspoon, Annette Grasty (William), Marcia Edwards, Deidre Gonsalvez, Pamela Coleman, Cheryl Clark, Elaina Clark Fox; and Grand Nephews: John Witherspoon, Jr. (Tasha), Brian Edwards (Angela), Douglas Clark (Rochelle) and Winson Clark; Family “in love”: Rufus and Genova Lawrence, Theresa and Jimmy Ford, Ana Belle Lawrence, Rufus Lawrence, III; Close family friends: Marilyn Spurlock ( Seldon), Lesley Mitchell, Sherri Jackson Pieria, Melvin Hockett, Byron and Yvonne McGee, Charles Roberts, Dorothy White, Natalie Beard, Carolyn Stone Taylor, Adrianne Murchison, Doris Ogilsby, St. Paul’s Deltas, Denise Davis; her caregivers at Life Care Center of Lawrenceville and many friends.
