TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
African-American students. His dental education's remaining expenses were paid for by earning money picking vegetables in Wisconsin and driving buses for the Chicago Transit Authority during the summers from 1964- 1967. In 1968, Callins completed his post-doctoral education in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Boston (M.A.) University. In 1969, he completed his Oral and Maxillofacial surgery residency at Harlem Hospital in New York City, NY, where he would later meet his future wife, the former Dr. Delsadie Pullar. On January 3, 1972, Callins married Dr. Delsadie Pullar, after which the couple moved to Baltimore, MD, where Callins opened a dental practice with Dr. Henry "Hank" Robinson. In 1979, he returned to his hometown of Birmingham, AL, due to family concerns. He opened a dental practice on Bush Boulevard in the Ensley neighborhood. Callins offered general dentistry and oral surgery services to the community and offered Birmingham's first 24/7 emergency dental clinic. Callins operated his dental practice on Bush Boulevard for 26 years and retired in 2005. In addition to the practice of dentistry, Dr. Callins was an accomplished musician, skilled at playing the piano and the French horn, and a world traveler. Callins was a member of the Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Birmingham, AL, where he served in various roles within the ministry of music. Callins was preceded in death by his father Aldrich Callins, Sr., his mother Odell (née Moore) Callins, brothers Jothan M. Callins, and Dr. Rheuben E. Callins. Brother Joel F. Callins is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Dr. Delsadie Pullar Callins; his children Joel (Dr. Keisha) Callins, Jodel Sadie Callins; grandchildren Joel Franklin Ren Callins, Abigail McKinley Callins, and Julian Amir Green; his siblings Aldrich G. (Lillian) Callins, Mrs. Gemima (Graham) Wiggins, Dr. Willis Paul Callins, Lilah Callins Tate, Miriam Callins, and Joshua Callins and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
family and enjoyed every moment spent with the people who loved him most. You could always count on music to bring out a spark of enthusiasm. He loved music, and when the melody got really good, he would move his fingers through the air as if he was playing the notes. Brother Phillip Curtis Ballentine was a man of faith, integrity, and kind- ness. He is survived by his wife, Sonya H. Ballentine; two daughters, Dr. Brittny (Pastor Aaron) Frazier and Dr. Rhoda- LeAnn (Timothy) Norris; four grandchil- dren, Candace and Caleb Frazier; Liam and Laney Norris. He was preceded in death by his younger brother Ronald Ballentine. He will be missed by one brother Michael (Mary) Ballentine; three sisters, Rita Childs and Deborah Ellson, and Janice (Charles) Duncan, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and loving friends. Submitted by Victor Harper
Phillip C. Ballentine 1956-2021 Educator, U.S. Army
Phillip C. Ballen- tine entered the Chapter Invisible on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Phillip Curtis Ballentine was born in Nashville, TN, on May 19, 1956, to the late Phillip
Ballentine and Rhoda Ann (née Walker) Ballentine. He girded his faith at St. Luke AME Church and was baptized at Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church as a young adult. He continued to groom his faith at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church throughout his adult life. On August 28, 1982, Ballentine vowed in a covenant before God to unite in Holy Matrimony with Sonya Lee (née Hartsfield) Ballentine and was blessed to share thirty-eight and a half years of love and countless marvelous memories together. He attended grade school and high school in the Metropolitan Nash- ville Public School System. He received a B.A. degree from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in August 1980. While at MTSU, Ballentine joined the Fraternity as a 1975 initiate of the Eta Gamma Chapter. He was recently reclaimed with the Alpharetta- Smyrna (GA) Alumni Chapter. He was an outstanding member of the Kroger management team for 33 years and profoundly impacted those in his work environment. Not only was Ballentine a distinguished leader in the workplace, but he was also a noble family man with a unique way of thinking. His meticulous approach to projects around the house, witty humor, and quiet but present demeanor kept things interesting at home and with fam- ily. He was a proud husband and father who led his family with love, laughter, discipline, and commitment. In addi- tion, he was an exemplary big brother to all five of his siblings. Through illness, he fought to stay around for all of his
Joel F. Callins, D.D.S. 1941–2021 Dentist
On December 7, 2020, Brother Joel F. Callins (Gamma Phi 1960) entered the Chapter Invisible peacefully at home in Bessemer, AL, after a courageous 13 month battle
with pancreatic cancer. Joel Franklin Callins was born on June 12, 1941, at Lloyd Noland Hospital in Fairfield, AL. Callins grew up in Birmingham's Ensley neighborhood and graduated in 1959 from Western Olin High School, now known as P. D. Jackson Olin High School. He graduated in 1959 from Alabama A&M University with a B.A. degree. In 1967, Callins earned a D.D.S from historic Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. Callins' dental education at Meharry was financed in part by the State of Alabama's obligation to provide separate but equal education to
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VIRTUAL 85 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING
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