Clara Evans McIlwain

Dr. Clara Evans McIlwain Dr. Clara Evans McIlwain was born April 5, 1919, in Jacksonville, Florida, to Waymon and Jerusha Lee Evans. She was reared in Atlanta, Georgia, where the family lived with maternal Grandparents, Levi and Clarenda Dickson. After attending Kindergarten for two years, her Grandmother put her in school at the age of four (birth certificates were not required at that time). She attended South Atlanta Public School and David T. Howard Junior High and excelled in her studies. They lived near the campus of Clark University, which afforded a place of inspiration and cultural nurturing. When Dr. Clara was 12 years old, she and her Mother, a Stenographer, who was employed by the National Benefit Life Insurance Company, moved to Washington, D.C., into the cold urban world. She attended Garnet Patterson Junior High School, Paul Lawrence Dunbar Senior High School and graduated from Miner Teachers’ College (now the University of the District of Columbia) at the age of 20 years with a Bachelor of Science Degree. She started to work as an Underclerk (CAF-1) at the Department of the Army, and worked for several government agencies, working her way through a maze of jobs and circumstances to a Professional Economist (Grade 13) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At one juncture, she taught History and Geography at Hugh M. Brown Junior High School, Washington, D.C., eventually returning to the government. She was a recipient of a Rockefeller Foundation Grant to attend the University of Florida, in Gainesville, at the age of 50 years (30 years after graduating from college), and received the Master of Agricultural Economics Degree. Dr. Clara returned to work for the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO), U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she visualized making a difference in minority participation in agricultural programs. She evaluated the Rural Housing Program, the Rural Electrification Program, etc., traveled extensively, conducting workshops, and published a number of reports. Dr. Clara married Ivy McIlwain, an inventor, of Lancaster, South Carolina, and is the Mother of Ronald E. McIlwain, Inventor and CEO of FilterSure, Inc., Rev. Dr. Carol McIlwain Edwards, author, Reading With Jesus™ – You Can Teach Your 4 or 5 Year Old Child To Read In 90 Days© and Owner, Rhema Reading Services, LLC, Marilyn Ross-Moody, Retired Principal, New York City Department of Education, Ivy M. Lindsay, President and CEO of Anointed Solutions. She is Grandmother of Fred D.C. Ross, Jr., Celeste Ross-Barry, Tai White-Johnson, Leigh Ann Penn, and Wayne Lindsay. She is the Great-Grandmother of Audrianna, L’Tisha, Tierra, Wendell, Fred D.C. Ross, III, Alexis and Lillian. The extended family includes Willie Lindsay, Son-in-law, Alpha Barry, Grandson-in-law, Keisha Ross, Granddaughter-in-law, and Jarrett Penn, Grandson-in law. Dr. Clara Evans McIlwain, a Jerusalem Pilgrim, Baptized in the Jordan River, President of Evans Unlimited, is a member of the First Baptist Church of Deanwood, Washington, DC, former Governor of Area XXIV, Toastmasters International, The International Platform Association, Omicron Delta Epsilon (Honor Society in Economics), the Southern Agricultural Economics Association, the Research Board of Directors of the American Biographical Institute, Inc., and the American Association of Notaries. She taught Economics at the Washington Saturday College, GTU, “All of the Miracles of the Old Testament” at Miracle Faith Center Bible College, “Steps To Eloquence With The Word Of God” at Christ Kingdom Culture Church, Fort Washington, Maryland, and the First Baptist Church of Deanwood Academy, Washington, DC, Writer, Science Weekly Magazine, Chevy Chase, Maryland, Coordinator and Instructor of Youth Leadership and Speechcraft Programs of Toastmasters International, Washington area, served on Board of Directors and Instructor of the Saturday Tutorial Enrichment Program, Arlington, Virginia, secretary to International Student Exchange, Washington, DC, cited in the World’s Who’s Who of Women, Business and Industry, and Directory of Black Economists. She has traveled extensively in the United States, the West Indies, Europe and the Middle East. At age 86, Dr. Clara received the Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Breakthrough Bible College, Temple Hills, Maryland. At the age of 82, Dr. Clara, a born-again, spirit-filled believer, ministered to Senior Citizens at New Life Mission Ministries, Clinton, Maryland, once a month, where Evangelist Dr. Catherine Clark is the Founder, telling them to “Get Over Getting Older”, has written a book, Steps to Eloquence with The Word Of God© and Co-Author with her daughter, Rev. Dr. Carol McIlwain Edwards, Blazing The Trail To The Kingdom Of God©. An avid reader, she also worked with her son, praying, assisting in strategic business planning for Filtersure, Inc. and with her daughter, praying, writing, editing, planning for workshops for Rhema Reading Services, LLC and other business pursuits. She has endeavored to stay involved to make a difference for our children. She is a testament of the classic southern upbringing espousing, “You are a child of God,” “Take care of your body,” “Stand up straight and tall, ”Be a lady, if it kills you!,” “Get your education, and realize your dreams,” “Reach for the stars” (from Mr. McIlwain) and “Persist and persevere until the end!!!”

Clara Evans McIlwain

April 5, 1919 - May 17, 2016