SENIOR KING & QUEEN

SAN BERNARDINO BLACK CULTURE FOUNDATION

2016 Senior King and Queen

George & Helen Rawls

The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is happy to announce the 2015 Senior King and Queen.  They are Joyce Payne and Mansie Booker and they will be crowned Friday, February 6, 2015.

2015 SENIOR KING & QUEEN

Pastor Turner, Joyce Payne Senior Queen and Mansie Booker Senior King

JOYCE PAYNE – SENIOR QUEEN

Joyce Payne was born in Los Angeles, CA, and attended school there.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in History and her Administrative Credential from California State University, San Bernardino, Pre-Doctorial Studies at Mercer University, Macon, GA and Master of Educational Administration from Boston State College.
Joyce has been a teacher, vice principal and principal for the San Bernardino City Unified School District and recently retired.  She was a long time principal at Dr. Howard Inghram Elementary School but completed her career at Davidson Elementary School.  She also taught in Peach County, Georgia, and Middlesex Community College, Burlington, Massachusetts.  She also served on the school board in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Joyce is very active in the community.  She is a member of Temple Missionary Baptist Church where she is the director of Christian education.  Other activities include:  Charter member of National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Delta Rho Chapter, Our Children Sing, Board of Directors, Former Member, California State University Alumni Board, Lifetime Alumni Member, California State University, San Bernardino. She also participates in Community Outreach Programs addressed parenting, literacy, career development and goal setting.

MANSIE BOOKER – SENIOR KING

Mansie Booker, Jr. was born in Burlington, North Carolina on March 18, 1944 to Rev. Mansie Booker, Sr. and Gladys Marie Booker. He is the youngest of two children. At the age of four his family relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina where he received his elementary education at St. Monica’s Catholic School. He graduated from J.W. Ligon High School in 1962 and entered the United States Air Force.
In addition to the above, Mansie has been an active member of the Highland Family YMCA and Temple Missionary Baptist Church where he continues to use his production skills. Annually Mansie provides the Black Culture Foundation a video profile of the Humanitarian of the Year awardees. He also videotapes the annual Black Rose event.
Mansie is widowed and is the father of two children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He attended Yuba College, The University of Maryland, University of Oklahoma and The University of Minnesota and is a graduate of the Community College of the Air Force.

2014 SENIOR KING & QUEEN

HECK AND BARBARA THOMAS

The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is happy to announce the 2014 Senior King and Queen; Heck and Barbara Thomas.  Barbara was born in Six, West Virginia and raised in Baltimore, MD and Sanford, North Carolina. Heck was born and raised in Meridian, Mississippi.  They have been residents of Highland since1985 and Heck retired from the United States Air Force in 1988.  They are the proud parents of Yolanda, grandparents of Kristy and Kamari, and great grandparents of Jaxson.

The Thomas’ have been active in San Bernardino.  They attend the Traditional Community Fellowship Chapel in Highland, a church started by the military men and women who were stationed at Norton Air Force Base.
Barbara served as Women Auxiliary Chairperson, special events planner, in charge of social activities and raising funds to support the church ministry.  She also volunteered as a mentor for some of the adult students at the San Bernardino Adult School who did not have positive female influences in their lives.  She worked for ten years in the Army and Air Force Exchange Service at Norton and Malmstrom (Montana) until her medical retirement in 1989.  She was a member of the Non-Commissioned Officers Wives club and a member of the Radiant Rubies of Highland, a chapter of the Red Hat Society.

Heck was employed by the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health from 1988 to 1996 as a Mental Health Employment Specialist; a Teacher on Assignment for The San Bernardino City Unified School District and worked at the San Bernardino Adult School from 1996-2010.  He has been active in the community, serving as church executive board president, past president and board member of the Kiwanis Club of Highland, past president and board member of the Frazee Community Center, past San Bernardino chapter president of the California Council of Adult Educators and has worked and volunteered with programs to assist the homeless for over 25 years.  Heck has also served with the Highland Youth Accountability Board.  He has received the Black Rose Award from the San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, several Kiwanian of the Year Awards, Hixson Fellow, Dunlap Fellow, and several Kiwanis Distinguished Service Awards.  He is also the recipient of the George McCune Collaborative Award.

Barbara attended San Bernardino Valley College.  Heck attended San Bernardino Valley College and graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.  Heck also attended California State University, San Bernardino.

They are both enjoying retirement, community service, and spending quality time with their great grandson, Jaxson.

Past and New senior King and Queen

HECK AND BARBARA THOMAS

Joyce Payne & Mansie Booker,   2015
Barbara & Heck Thomas,            2014
Daisy & Dave Clark,        2012 & 2013
Charlotte & Marion Black           2009
Odessa Bragg                               1994