Faces Page 7 - Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012
the NEWS of Rockdale County 2012
The News
8 Faces of Rockdale County 2012
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community is only as good as its people, and Rockdale, by all measures, is a remarkable place with extraordinary people. The kind of people who go the extra mile without complaint, who give thanks and relish life despite the challenges, who strive day in, day out, with or without recognition, to do and be the very best they can. The kind of people who inspire others to reach further, dig deeper, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible. We at The News wanted to celebrate the treasure trove of people that have built Conyers and Rockdale into the place it is today. Welcome to the inaugural Faces of Rockdale County special section. We selected seven people we felt represented the best of what Rockdale had ot offer. With so many great choices, it was hard to narrow down the list to seven, but we hope to continue this next year with more profiles of extraordinary people that represent the best of Rockdale. We hope you enjoy getting to know these nominees as much as we did. Michelle Kim Editor
Table of Contents 09 10 11
Sidney Nation Cleveland Stroud Claire Cline
Dan
h
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Charles Walker Zeste Debro Valerie Brown-Debro Deborah Armstrong
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Faces of Rockdale County 2012
The News
Sidney Nation
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After a quarter century making his mark as Rockdale's top judge, Superior Court Chief Judge Sidney Nation is leaving behind a legacy By Bryan Fazio
www.rockdalenews.com
Looking down over his bench Judge Sidney Nation routinely sees an ever changing river of defendants, prosecutors, lawyers and jurors. However, as his eyes drift further toward his desk, the Rockdale County Chief Superior Court Judge sees something that has remained the steady throughout the years. Framed on the left side of his desk is a quote from the song “Choices” by George Jones: “I’ve had choices since the day I was born/ there were voices that told me right from wrong/ if I had listened I wouldn’t be here today living and dying with the choices I’ve made.” Nation, set to retire at the end of the year, has repeated the quote to defendants several times while he sat on Rockdale’s top bench for the last 25 years. It reminds them that they made the choice to get themselves where they are. The quote also says Nation has a choice on how best to serve not just Rockdale County, but also the individual in front of him. Nation has displayed that in how he handles everyone who comes into his courtroom, including during sentencing. When those sentences lead to extended time served, there are times when people are angry at the decision. However, also there have been times when people have been grateful for Nation’s decision to imprison them. “I have people come up to me all the time, up to twice a week or so saying, ‘Do you remember me from 10 years - or whatever years ago? I’ve got a job; I’m married; I have children; I own a house; I’m paying my bills. I wouldn’t have that if you hadn’t passed the sentence that you did. That time in jail really straightened me out.’” That has kept the judge going throughout all his years on the bench, acting as one of Rockdale County’s longest serving supe-
Go online for video clips of Nation and his co-workers.
bfazio@rockdalenews.com
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rior court judges. “I think that’s where it counts,” Nation said. “If that’s 200 people over the last 25 years, than how many people have those 200 affected. That’s at least what I’ve hoped has happened.” Those 200-250 lives have been effected thanks to, as the song says, choices. While serving for the U.S. Army in Vietnam, Nation was a captain with the ordinance corps in the logistics section when he got his first taste of law. Three of his enlisted men came up for court martial while in country, meaning they needed an officer to stand in for them. Nation was up for the task, learning how to deliberate, investigate and find the truth in legal situations. “I was defense council at that point, and I enjoyed doing it,” Nation said. “I started to think about that, and I applied for law school while I was in Vietnam.” The Georgia Tech undergrad enrolled at the University of Georgia after serving on his tour, leaving Athens as a lawyer and starting on the career path that would mark the rest of his life. “Georgia Tech taught me how to think,” Nation said. “The University of Georgia taught me how to make a living.” He started making a living while working with the law firm of Vaughn and Barksdale when he was 30 in 1970. That’s when he started to fall in love with Conyers, and its small town feel, as he needed help on his way to take the bar exam in Atlanta. “I stopped to speak to Mr. Vaughn, and I didn’t have any money,” Nation said. “I had 500 bucks. And it’s that kind of relationship in a small town that’s really important.” As he continued to work with Vaughn and Barksdale as a lawyer, where he first met current assistant Debbie Campbell, he
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developed his style. “One secretary who worked very closely with me said she would do all the work on my desk if I just did Sidney Nation’s work,” Campbell said. “He wasn’t difficult to work for, he’s just a perfectionist. “He would do his work over and over again until it was correct. But one you finished something for him you knew it was a piece of art and it was well done.” After he felt a point in his career as a lawyer where he thought he had accomplished enough, Nation moved on to become a judge. In his first run at the bench, he wasn’t elected. But being the type of person he is, he made the choice to run again. This time he won, and has sat on the bench until January 2013 when he will retire. While on the bench, his conservative style has become synonymous with the county. One anecdote relayed to Nation is the time a man who was drinking got into a wreck. The first thing the suspect did as the police officer approached was ask if he was in DeKalb or Rockdale County, because he knew he’d face severe consequences if he was in Rockdale County. Another instance is when a recording device was left on as a suspect sat in the backseat of a patrol car. The recording was later played during the man’s trial. As the officer walked toward the scene, leaving him alone in the car he started talking to himself. Nation, who heard the tape, said “He says to himself, ‘Good Lord, what have I done. Judge Nation is going to kick my ass.’ “So that has an effect and that’s part of what you do as a judge, you try to deter other people from doing what folks do.” Nation has strived to do that throughout his years, hoping that that is his mark in Rockdale County. “I’m not saying that our judicial system is perfect but I think we’re trustworthy,” Nation said. “We’re fair. We beat out justice and we take everything into consideration when we take a case. I think over the years, maybe this court has made a difference in the lives of individual people, not just the community.” The years on the bench are now coming to an end for Nation, who has decided not to run for re-election. Nation said he will continue fishing, maybe travel, maybe practice law a bit and maybe even serve as a senior judge throughout the state of Georgia. “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” Nation said. “My wife will probably end up telling me what I’m going to do.”
The News
10 Faces of Rockdale County 2012
Cleveland
Stroud
Coach and City Councilman leads with integrity, even when it means making tough sacrifices By Kysa Anderson Daniels news@rockdalenews.com
Old timers in Rockdale recall vividly—and newcomers are often educated about — the time in 1987 when Cleveland Stroud coached a local boys’ basketball team to a state championship victory. Yet, in a dramatic twist, the Georgia High School Association stripped Rockdale High of the title, following a surprise revelation that an ineligible athlete had played in a single qualifying game leading up to the big win. Stroud, the first to learn of the discrepancy, has never questioned his decision to tell the truth—even if it meant forfeiting a hard-earned accomplishment. That simple act of integrity swirled into a behemoth story that portrayed not only Stroud but also Rockdale County as a place of courage and righteousness amid a culture that promoted winning, no matter the cost. The recognition netted Stroud a slew of state, national and international honors. Most notably is his International Olympic Committee award, displayed in his home office. It’s nestled atop a modest bookshelf, next to a championship trophy gifted to him by a sympathetic band of Georgia coaches. There were countless articles written about him in publications such as the New York Times and Sports Illustrated. A Google search reveals Coach Stroud’s honesty also has been a source for sermons and even included in best selling books. Some 25 years later, Stroud has grown a tad weary of the
frequent references to his integrity related to the 1987 championship misfortune. While peering into the gymnasium trophy case at Rockdale High recently, Stroud quipped: “I am more than basketball.” Clearly. “If a kid can’t get anything out of a coach other than a win—that coach is a failure,” Stroud says emphatically. “He doesn’t deserve to be a coach, because coaching is so much more than that.” Stroud’s long-time friend Charlie Bryant concurs. Bryant, head coach of the 1984 girls’ championship basketball team, was Stroud’s assistant in 1987. “He’s had such a positive influence on the young people— counseling them, sharing his wisdom with them and getting up in their face and just telling them, in plain street talk, you know you’re messing up and you need to do this, this and this,” Bryant says. “I personally see that as a greater picture (of Stroud) than a championship.” At 14, native Rockdalian Jason Hill was on Stroud’s championship team as one of the younger players. Today, the two maintain a close relationship. “The way he coached, he treated us all like his kids,” Hill says. “All of us needed something a little different, and he would tell us what we needed to hear, not always what we wanted to hear. But he was the first to pat
us on the back and tell us we did a good job.” Rod Cole, a star athlete on the 1987 team who went on to play professionally in an international league, has similar recollections. “Coach Stroud took me under his wings…I was always around (him),” Cole says. Perhaps it’s his own upbringing that inspired Stroud to extend such compassion to others. A dedicated father of three and grandfather, Stroud grew up without a dad. He recalls telling classmates his daddy was dead. “He wasn’t, but he was to me,” Stroud says resolutely. His father had left him, his brother and mother when Stroud was a baby. In stark contrast, Stroud softens when talking about his mother, who worked as a domestic before becoming a florist. “My mama was a strong woman,” he says, his voice cracking from emotion. “She instilled whatever values I have and she did it alone. She always let us know, if you don’t work, you don’t get anything.” So, even today, at age 75, the retired Rockdale school teacher and coach, continues to work as a tax preparer and ‘coach to player’ operator for the Atlanta Falcons. Moreover, he’s a city of Conyers Councilman, in See Stroud page 16
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Faces of Rockdale County 2012
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Claire Cline
11
United Way regional director and non-profit advocate Claire Cline demonstrates the power of community relationships By Jessica Smith
Clayton State, of Commerce’s Leadership RockDeKalb College (now Georgia Pe- dale (LR) program is another dirimeter College), DeKalb Tech (now mension of Cline’s passion for comEnter Claire Cline’s lair on a ran- Georgia Piedmont) and the Rockdale munity and education. She was a dom Friday in January and the first County Public School System. Cline member of the 1996 class, and along thing your eye is drawn to is an was intrigued with the concept of a with her Co-Chair Tim Baker (LR enormous bouquet of roses rising four-year, two- year and technical Class of ’97) has facilitated classes prominently above the controlled college and a public school system for the last 13 years. chaos. When asked, she reveals “It’s hard to believe how they were from her ex-husband many people I’ve come in of 22 years. He sends them every contact with…it’s well over year on her son’s birthday. Re300,” she said, “I feel like ev Family: Son J. Cline, 33 ally, what more does one need to ery one of them is my child.” Hobbies: Restoring a 100-year old know about her? Actually, there’s She delights in seeing them farmhouse; managing a family farm in plenty. “get their feet wet in differsouth Georgia; gardening Cline’s gift is cultivating people ent leadership endeavors” Latest read: “The Art of Racing in the to make the community stronger. within their respective fields, Rain” “My basic philosophy is if you becoming elected officials or Favorite food: fresh raspberries, come to the table tell me what getting involved with their dark chocolate and real whipped you bring, not what you want to homeowner’s association. cream take away,” she said, “This comLiteracy is another passion Favorite quote: “Find something munity basically operates that project she pursues in her each day to laugh about and be way…we care about each other.” “spare” time. First Baptist of So one needn’t be taken aback Conyers Dr. Jeff Meyers (LR when asked to “step up to the class of ’09) reminded her of plate” – another signature line. “working together to support higher a study linking third grade reading The South Georgia native and education.” She said the “out-of-the levels with prison populations. BasiUGA graduate’s primary passion in box thinking and seamless education cally, a learning gap begins for chillife is education. She spent 23 years concept” sold her on Rockdale. dren not reading at grade level by of her career with the University When she arrived at The Rockdale third grade, and they have “a higher of Georgia Cooperative Extension Center, the eight-month old facility likelihood of entering a life of crime, system before moving to Rockdale had an enrollment of 300. When she drugs and bad behavior.” in 1995. While director of Continu- left five years later, it had grown to Cline started a program her secing Education at Georgia College in 1,000 students offering 100 classes ond year in Rockdale to address Milledgeville, a compelling job offer per quarter. Many who had dropped this threat. Kid’s College, a program summoned her. out of school could get their GED funded through grants and gifts, proThe job was director of The Rock- and start basic college courses. vides 100 second through fifth-graddale Center, a collaborative between The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber ers needing a boost the opportunity news@rockdalenews.com
Meet Claire Cline
Michelle Kim/The News
Building Bridges: Claire Cline now serves as United Way Regional Director for the metro Southern Crescent (Rockdale, Henry, Clayton, Butts, Fayette and Coweta Counties) of an eight-week Saturday session manned by 20 school system employees. Cline drills the mantra “You take care of self, each other and place” to get across they’re responsible for their education, a privilege, not a right. “I always tell Sheriff Jeff Wigington (LR Class of ’96) it’s my job to put you out of business.” During her time at United Way, she’s helped build partnerships with the school system, hospital and other industries to address UW’s mission of “driving sustainable change in education, income, health and homelessness, while continuing to address urgent and basic human care.”
Through UW’s Gifts in Kind program, businesses send in surplus items, and they are distributed to non-profits. Just before Christmas, another LR crony, David Cooper (Class of ’08) with Premier Platforms sent three trucks laden with Christmas trees, storage containers, charcoal, food items, clothing, etc. “Whether it’s through kids or adults, it’s all around education, the more you learn the more you see the value of investing your time.” Her formula is working for Rockdale County.
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12 Faces of Rockdale County 2012
CharlesWalker Longtime Mayor Charles Walker helped put the small city of Conyers onto the world stage
Michelle Kim/The News
Unexpected mayor: Charles Walker served as Mayor of Conyers from 1978 to 1998 current city administration was trying to turn the Depot into a parking lot. The historical society countered then Mayor George Serving for 20 years and bring- Owens by running one of its own ing the world’s eyes to Conyers, - Walker. Charles Walker may be one of “They didn’t feel like the counthe most influential mayors in the cil or mayor were listening to city’s history. them,” Walker said. “So the hisHowever, that influence may torical society talked me into runhave never happened if not for ning for mayor.” one of the most surprising elecWalker agreed to run but didn’t tions in Conyers’ history. think he would have to worry In the late 1970s Walker was about actually serving. serving as president of the Cony“I said, ‘If you want to waste ers Historical Society when the your time I’ll do it;; just to make a
By Bryan Fazio
bfazio@rockdalenews.com
statement,’” Walker said. It turned out to be more than a statement when he won by 25 votes. “I was flabbergasted,” Walker said. With not an ounce of experience and very little idea of what needed to be done as Mayor, Walker stepped in 1978. While in office Walker helped turn the fire department over to the county as well as make the sewer system a county function. The change in the sewer system was the high-water mark for Walker’s administration to that point. With the county’s rapidly expanding population, water lines would have had to have been stretched exponentially. The additional pipes would have increased fees exorbitantly. “We sold that to the county and that was a big accomplishment,” Walker said. “It solved a long-term problem. There was disagreement and friction all over the county” As Walker’s administration continued so did his achievements. The biggest which came thanks to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Atlanta had won the bid to host the centennial Olympic Games and needed a place to host, among
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other events, the equestrian competitions. Walker and the city of Conyers swooped on the opportunity. The area now known as the Georgia International Horse Park was originally purchased for effluent from the waste water plant. But Walker and his administration brought in a consultant firm to see what could be done with the property. The firm looked into using it for a conference center, but it was deemed to remote of an area. Then the consultant firm brought the idea of the Olympics to the city of Conyers. “One day they came and said, ‘Eureka! We have come up with a thought. Atlanta is going to pursue the 1996 Olympic Games, and there will be an equestrian venue, and perhaps that property might make a suitable plot for the equestrian venue,” Walker said. From there Conyers went to work to entice the Atlanta Olympic committee. “We were visited by people from all over the world,” Walker said. “Even Princess Anne came several times.” Bringing the Olympic Games was the highlight of Walker’s mayoral career, but it was meet-
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ing with foreign dignitaries that was his original goal. While in college, first at Presbyterian College and then the University of Georgia, Walker wanted to go into foreign services, particularly in Russia. However, when he took the foreign service examination he didn’t pass, due to his language skills. He then went into the insurance industry, before owning his own company called WalCo Packaging off of Commerce Drive and Parker Road. When President Bill Clinton enacted the NAFTA Bill, his company went under. “It kind of sank my boat,” Walker said. “I then worked for the city of Conyers as a handy man in the office, and after that (I went to the Chamber of Commerce)” Throughout it all, Walker remained in Conyers, the city where he and his mother were born in the same house. Walker’s Conyers roots stretch as far back as just after the Civil War, when his grandfather settled in the Smyrna area in 1865. He even met his wife here in 1954 when he was a lifeguard at a swimming pool and she came from Atlanta to cool off. “We’ve stuck it out ever since.”
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Faces of Rockdale County 2012
The News
ZesteDebro ValerieBrown-Debro
Michelle Kim/The News
United in service: Valerie Brown-Debro, left, President of the Post 77 American Legion Auxiliary, and Zeste Debro, right, Commander of American Legion Post77
By Michelle Kim Zeste Debro and Valerie Brown Debro share a passion for service and community that brought them together in 2005 and keep them serving as Commander of the American Legion Post 77 and President of the Post 77 Legion Auxiliary. Valerie, currently in her second year as Auxiliary President, never had prior exposure to the Legion before she joined in 2008 but was put to work right away on
various board and committees. “I’ve always served in the community. Air Force USO, Habitat for Humanity. It’s naturally in me, as far as serving,” said the Los Angeles native and real estate broker. Zeste Debro, who retired after 21 years in the army, 82nd Airborne Division in logistics with the First Special Operations Command and Joint Task Force throughout South America, and then retired again after seven years as a police officer in Tennessee, is completing his first year as Post
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The husband and wife team share a passion for helping those who've served the country
Commander. He also wears multiple hats as the Son of American Legion advisor and Detachment of Georgia Junior Vice Commander. Although he was a Legion member, he was inactive until joining the Post 77 Color Guard around 2005. The couple, who married in 2008, met when Valerie, an LA native, moved to Georgia from California in 2005 following other family members. Zeste, a Knoxville, Tenn. native, was the basketball coach for her twin sons, now seniors in Rockdale County High School. The two helped form a rec basketball league and team, the Rockdale Rockets. It was this organizing that brought them closer together and brought them to the American Legion. Then Post Commander Jack Murphy offered the Post 77 facilities as a place for league organizers to hold their meetings. Valerie also supported Zeste as he quietly battled multiple myeloma, a blood and bone cancer. “No one knew it until afterwards,” said Valerie. “‘I don’t want no one feeling sorry for me.’ We went through it. It made him fight even more. We just stayed active, busy, kept him off of his pain.” Being husband and wife does help, but the two organizations operate separately, said Valerie. “It’s easier if you have that communication, husband and wife or not. Open communication is the key.” The Legion and Auxiliary are trying to spread awareness of the services and
programs they offer veterans and their families, especially as more military personnel are discharged coming back from Afghanistan. “Veterans are a funny breed,” Zeste said. “A soldier would not look for help out of a civilian. Just something funny about us. The military is more team oriented.” The four pillars of the Legion are Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, Children and Youth. But there’s a niche for everyone, he said. “Everybody thinks the Legion is about baseball, bar and bingo. And the Legion is not about that,” said Zeste. “The Legion is about supporting the veterans,” he said. Currently the Post 77 Legion counts 660 members. The Auxiliary has 75 members auxiliary and conducts about 18 programs, ranging from scholarships to visiting veterans and children’s hospitals to educational programs in schools. They are not the first husband and wife team to helm the local Legion and Auxiliary, but they are they first African American Commander and President in the post’s 83 year history. When they became active, they were the only African Americans in Post. “We’re just here to serve,” said Valerie. “When I used to go to the airports for the USO and see their families. To see their faces, that smile. It’s just an awesome feeling.”
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14 Faces of Rockdale County 2012
Deborah Armstrong Rockdale Medical Center's CEO Deborah Armstrong helped guide the community hospital during a time of transition By Jessica Smith
news@rockdalenews.com
Deborah Armstrong’s initial career plans didn’t include her current position as Chief Executive Officer of Rockdale Medical Center, one of the region’s largest employers. Her professional odyssey began 27 years ago in physical therapy. “I didn’t aspire to this position. I’m a comfortable introvert,” she said, laughing, “and a CEO needs to be a bit of an extrovert.” The ever elusive work/life balance was another reason the top job wasn’t on her radar. “My family always have and will be my top priority,” she said. So it was perfect timing when the job opening coincided with empty nest syndrome last year. Though no success story is ever that simple, it belies Armstrong’s incredible passion and dedication to the hospital. After five years as a physical therapist, the Oak Ridge, Tn. native decided to pursue the management track enrolling in
M e r - landed the family in Rockdale 20 years cer University’s Master’s in Health Ad- ago. It would be almost another decade ministration program. Along the way, before they both would enjoy a sevenshe married and had two children while mile commute. working full-time While at Georat Georgia Baptist gia Baptist, ArmHospital (now Atstrong connected lanta Medical Cenwith mentor Carol Family: Husband, Breck; ter). Danielson, now children Katie and Trevor Armstrong credGwinnet Health Hobbies: Sleeping, reading, its her “extremely System’s Chief walking and taking in the supportive” family, Nursing Officer. occasional performance of her particularly husband “She put me in pohusband’s band Breck, for helpsitions where I was Favorite Food: Home-grown ing to pull off this constantly learntomato sandwiches feat. “When I was ing new things and Favorite Quote: “Be true to in school, which expanding my hoyour word, your work, and your seemed forever, he rizons.” Benefitfriend.” Henry David Thoreau took on all the afterting from several Favorite Book: currently school and evening mentors who exreading “The Poisonwood Bible” by responsibilities with posed her to difBarbara Kingsolver very small chilferent challenges, dren,” she said, “We Armstrong is keen have always shared on developing emin whatever there was to do.” Breck’s ployee talents so they’re positioned to job as a process engineer for Solo Cup rise in the ranks.
Meet Deborah Armstrong
“We try to do that here ...find people who want new experiences,” she said, “If they have the right aptitude and knowledge, but their resume doesn’t have certain credentials, we give them opportunities for growth.” Her RMC trajectory bears it out. After working at several larger Atlanta hospitals, she came to RMC as director of rehabilitative services and to be closer to home. She took on more responsibilities and spent five years as the Chief Operating Officer. During her 11-year tenure, Armstrong witnessed a significant phase of RMC’s history – the transition from a community-owned not-for-profit to an investor-owned hospital. Though there was the expected turmoil inherent with a big change, she understood “people’s perspectives and roots and where their passions were coming from” as part of the community. She’s confident at least 90 percent
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16 Faces of Rockdale County 2012
RMC
From page 14
employees, patients and physicians would agree LifePoint’s acquisition brought “stability, resources, healthcare intelligence…it’s hard to run a community-owned, stand alone hospital in a very complicated industry changing every minute of every day.” One would be hard-pressed to argue with the progress. Among many capital and technological improvements is a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) - which will double in size this year; a state-of-theart women’s center with the latest breast imaging technology; and a da Vinci Surgical System – the only hospital east of the perimeter to have a robotic system for minimally invasive procedures. Physician recruitment is another area Armstrong is focused on this year. Topping her list is both a dedicated breast surgeon - general surgeons now handle the procedures performed daily – and a thoracic surgeon for lung work. Also on the horizon is establishing a physician-level residency program as another piece of RMC’s educational initiative. Currently, programs are in place in nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy. The hospital was recently recognized as the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce’s
Education Partner of the Year for hosting eight healthcare apprenticeships with Rockdale Career Academy. Delivering the best healthcare services possible, locally or otherwise, is Armstrong’s top priority. “If people choose to leave the community to receive services for whatever reason, it does have an impact.” The hospital employs over 1,200 people and paid more than $3 million in city, county and state taxes last year alone. “It’s all intertwined,” she said, “The health of the community is much bigger than the health we provide at RMC, but we’re part of it.” Armstrong’s influence reaches beyond the RMC campus. Her role as a founding board member of Mercy Heart, a charitable clinic providing preventative health and dental care for Rockdale’s low-income and uninsured citizens, addresses a passion for preventative care of chronic diseases. In this phase of life, she revels in the workload. “Work is life now, and that’s okay because I know we’re doing great things for our community,” Armstrong said, “It’s not like work and no life when you’re fulfilled.” In his spare time, her husband plays guitar and is content if she makes it home with a “few non-sleeping hours to spare.” She divulges one last secret to a good marriage. “I don’t make him go to too many events because they sometimes conflict with his gigs.”
STROUD From page 10
man, in addition to maintaining membership at Macedonia Baptist Church and in the service-oriented Rockdale Citizens Progressive Club, among other community commitments. Stroud has been married to the former Helen Flanigan more than 55 years. “I’m not the real hero here, my wife is; she did without everything,” Stroud says, referring to earlier in their marriage when he worked multiple jobs and pursued his education at Morehouse College—simultaneously.
He initially enrolled at Morehouse on an academic and basketball scholarship upon graduating high school. Soon after, he married and his wife became pregnant with their first child, so Stroud dropped out of college to take care of his family. At one point, he worked, at the same time, as a janitor and bus driver for Rockdale Schools. Eventually, he dropped the janitorial job, but picked up work at Lithonia Lighting. It was while watching the monotonous flow of the assembly line that Stroud says he decided to finish what he had started as a teenager. So, at age 31, while sandwiched between two jobs, he re-enrolled at Morehouse. Stroud averaged three to four hours of sleep nightly, before finally graduating at age 34. He contends his wife’s support
made it possible. “When you reflect back on this stuff, she didn’t get any new clothes, we didn’t go out for years and years; so without her cooperation, there would be no Cleveland Stroud.” he says with tear-filled eyes. It’s this type compassion and integrity that has guided Stroud throughout life. Not surprisingly, even before that fateful game 25 years ago, he often was quoted as saying: “People will forget the score of a basketball game, but they’ll never forget what you’re made of.” True enough, when each of two game players and two coaches—including Stroud—were asked to cite the final score of that 1987 championship game, none could answer with certainty.
Leadership Rockdale salutes our “Mama Bear” Claire Cline!
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Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012 • 17
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18 • Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012
The News