By Staff
FAMILY REFLECTION Members of the late Dr. Hobert Kornegay's family were among attendees at Saturday's ceremonies re-naming 39th Avenue in his honor. They include, front from left, Deevin Cherry, Ernestine Kornegay, Jasimine Cherry and Brenana Cherry; back from left, Branda Kornegay, James Kornegay, Carmen Kornegay Carter, Spencer Cherry, Patricia Kornegay Smith, Jevone Cherry, Radiance Carter, Donna Kornegay Cherry and Rollin Carter.Photo by Randy Hopson
By Randy Hopson /special to The Star
Feb. 29, 2004
It was a time of reflections and smiles mixed with a few tears as members of the late Dr. Hobert Kornegay's family and friends gathered Saturday to dedicate and rename 39th Avenue in his honor.
Kornegay, a native and lifelong resident of Meridian who died in August 2002, practiced dentistry for 52 years. He made an even greater impact by becoming the first African American elected official in Lauderdale County, serving for 12 years on the Meridian City Council and three years on the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors.
Ernestine Price Kornegay, widow of Kornegay, was present Saturday with their three children, Carmen Kornegay Carter, Patricia Kornegay Smith and James Kornegay, along with their grandchildren.
Betty Young, president of the nurses association, said Dr. Kornegay was a leader and role model. "He was in so many words and ways an unsung hero. It is unfortunate that a lot of people did not get to know such a great man for the person he really was."
Kornegay was the voice that bought change of the working conditions for the Eliza Pillars Registered Nurses Association.
Randy Hopson, a former reporter for The Meridian Star, serves as associate editor of The Uni-fam and consulting editor of the Mississippi Link. He is employed with WMDN-TV and WGBC-TV in Meridian.