Fletcher Alonzo Paschal, Jr. - RIP

[Bright Moments]

from the Miami Herald 5/16/2004:

FLETCHER ALONZO PASCHAL JR.

Founded schools' driving program

BY ANDREA ROBINSON

arobinson@herald.com

Fletcher Alonzo Paschal Jr., a civic leader and retired educator who brought the drivers education program to Dade schools in the late 1950s, died Tuesday at Cedar's Medical Center after suffering a massive heart attack. He was 82.

Born in Shellman, Ga., Paschal moved to Miami with his parents in 1925. The family settled in Overtown, where his father, Fletcher Sr., became the first jitney driver in Miami.

It was in Overtown that Paschal developed what would become a lifelong love of music. He took saxophone lessons sponsored by the old Works Program Administration and took to the instrument right away.

Music was his ticket to Florida A&M College in Tallahassee, where he performed in the band on a scholarship and where he met his wife of 61 years, Agenoria. She recalled how Paschal and a couple of junior high trumpet players, Julian and Nathaniel Adderly, would come to her parents' home to practice.

''He'd come over and they'd practice in our hallway,'' Agenoria Paschal said.

At Paschal's urging, Julian switched over to saxophone. He later became jazz legend ''Cannonball'' Adderley, while his brother, Nat, became a renowned trumpet player.

Years later, Paschal played for jazz greats such as Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald when they performed in Miami Beach.

After graduating from college and serving in World War II, Paschal moved back to Miami in 1946. He joined the staff of his alma mater, Booker T. Washington High, first as a shop teacher and later as drivers education teacher -- the first black man to do so ''south of the Mason-Dixon line,'' he would say.

Because of his involvement with driver safety, in 1957 the Dade school district selected Paschal to help develop the first three-pronged drivers education course that included television awareness, driving-range practice and actual road tests for high school students.

''That was one of his crowning moments. He was the only black person to be involved in setting up the program,'' said son Fletcher Paschal III.

Paschal became assistant principal at Jackson, Hialeah-Miami Lakes and American high schools. He retired from the Dade schools system in 1991.

In the community, Paschal was noted for his generosity through his church and civic organizations. He was a member of the Gideons and enjoyed handing out Bibles to prison inmates and to students at Florida Memorial College.

''Their ethics in terms of walking with God led him on his journey,'' said daughter Agenoria P. Powell.

He also was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the King of Clubs, the oldest black civic society in Miami.

The Rev. Kenneth Major, pastor of the Church of the Incarnation and a former student, noted that Paschal had a way of bringing people together.

Agenoria Paschal said that while her husband was involved in activities, he remained humble about what he did. ''He was down to earth . . . he did not seek publicity,'' she said. ``They call me the glue of the family; we called him the roots.''

In addition to his wife, son and daughter, survivors include son Elvis; a sister, Lillian Wheeler of Washington; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

A litany will be held at 6:15 p.m. today at the Church of the Incarnation, 1900 NW 54th St., in Miami. Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at the church.