Mrs. Teva Dunlap, lovingly called “Granny”, was the eleventh child born to Oscar and Lottie (Sherrod) Holland on November 24, 1933 in Minter City, Mississippi. Being born during the Great Depression era would later prove to be a battle and a blessing. Teva would essentially become a part of history.
As a young child working in the cotton fields, Teva learned early about a strong work ethic. These hard times would mold her to be as uniquely strong as her name. Through her tenacity she became involved with the NAACP and participated in the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s. She marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Medgar Evers. While in Mississippi, Teva was employed at Le Flora Hospital in Greenwood and worked as a cook.
Teva wanted better for her family so she made the decision to move north in 1970 and migrated to Saginaw, Michigan. She would go back to school and finish her high school education while becoming gainfully employed at Saginaw Community Hospital where she worked for eighteen years.
After retirement, Granny devoted the rest of her days to helping all her children and grandchildren. She taught what unconditional love meant, what it looked like and how it felt. She left an abundance of wisdom and knowledge of what it truly meant to be born in brown skin. Granny will truly be missed and forever cherished.
Teva was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Dunlap; children, Robert Pollard Jr, Royal Pollard, J.W. Pollard, L.V. Pollard, Elroy Thomas; parents, Oscar and Lottie Holland; siblings, Albert Sanders, Mary Spruell, Leadmon Sanders, Gertrude Sanders, Curtis Holland, Willie Holland, Lananza Holland, A.C. Holland, Lillie Woodard and R.C. Holland.
She leaves to cherish her beautiful memory five children, Dorothy (Aaron) Hopkins, Jacksonville, Florida, Lynette Ruth, Saginaw, Michigan, Dwight Pollard, Saginaw, Michigan, Teva Brown, Flint, Michigan, Katina Thornton, Indianapolis, Indiana; 44 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Christean James, Chicago Illinois; many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
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