During the last year of the Great Depression, a baby girl named Clareatha Robinson was born on July 24, 1933 to Willie and Clara Robinson in Orangeburg County in South Carolina in a town called Neeses. There was an older brother named Willie Lee Robinson in our home. My parents along with my brother and I moved to Columbia, South Carolina when I was a small child. We were enrolled in Waverly Elementary School and continued our education in the Richland County Public Schools.

My grandparents were Reverend and Mrs. Tommie Robinson. He pastored Bethel AME Church in Livingston, South Carolina.

My grandmother was a wonderful lady and the mother of twelve (12) children. She taught my brother and me many valuable lessons and disciplined me so that I would be a decent individual when I grew up.

At home, my life was full of love and fun, doing chores, going to school, studying and helping my Mom in any way I could. She disciplined and taught me to respect others. I attended Friendship Baptist Church Sunday School, Church Services, Junior and Senior Musical Choirs and all other activities under the pastorate of the late Reverend Doctor F. M. Young.

In the community, I attended the St. Anna's Park that was founded by Mrs. Anna Dixon who lived in the neighborhood. Classes were held by Columbia Bible College and they taught me about God and Jesus every week. I attended every activity at the park including May Day, Halloween, Christmas, plays and talent scout. I was a Girl Scout, collected money from door to door to help raise money to build the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital and collected scrap metal for the Waverly community for World War II. I participated in the opening of the first Drew Park and Swimming Pool and participated with a Waverly community musical youth group that entertained the serviceman during World War II at the Columbia Airport. Also, I was a Y-Teen and a Junior Elk. In the past 20 years, I have served on the Wellesley Place Beautification Committee and served as a judge for the Columbia Housing Authority's Beautification Campaign. Currently, I have been a member of the C. A. Johnson High School Class of 1953 Alumni Association since 2002.

I attended Richland County Public Schools and graduated from C. A. Johnson High School as an honor student. I attended Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital and Columbia Hospital and graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Also, I attended Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina.

My late husband, Reverend Moses Wilbert Laury, Sr. and I were married on April 18, 1952 in Columbia, South Carolina. After my late husband served honorably in the United States Air Force at Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino, California, we returned to Columbia...our home.

My late husband and I were blessed to have a beautiful daughter, Alesha Michelle Laury of Columbia, South Carolina, who is an honor graduate of Columbia High School and the University of South Carolina and a beloved son, Moses Wilbert Laury, Jr. of Alpharetta, Georgia, who is a graduate of Columbia High School and honorably served in the United States Army for ten (10) years and gained the rank of Sergeant. Also, my late husband and I were blessed with two lovely and talented granddaughters, Kelsie Lynette Laury of Long Beach, California and Aliya Natasha Laury of Lakewood, California.

I worked at the Columbia Hospital, Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital and retired from Richland County School District One.

I joined Saint John Baptist Church more than 55 years ago under the pastorate of the late Reverend Doctor Roscoe C. Wilson, Sr. and began to serve in the Sallie Boular Missionary Circle, Emily Dial Davenport Missionary Circle, Deaconess Board, Sunday School Assistant Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, Church Nursery Attendant, Assistant Leader and Reporter for the Emily Dial Davenport Missionary Circle, Church Greeter, Women's Day Chorus, Voter Registration Volunteer, annual Thanksgiving Basket preparer, Founder and Leader of the Senior Citizens and Homebound Ministry, Gist/Reid/McLawhorn/Jordan/Grant Family Ministry Unit and attends General Missionary Organization meetings.

My favorite Bible scripture is "And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13.