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Mr. Church, who excelled at working with tile, also worked to preserve landmarks in historic neighborhoods.
By JON WILSON, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 16, 2003
ST. PETERSBURG -- Craftsman Luthrell H. Church advanced the legacy of a community even as he helped build it.
Mr. Church, who died of cancer Feb. 6 at age 69, did carpentry and tile work for more than 50 years, working widely in African-American neighborhoods.
Tiling was his passion. He won a reputation as a perfectionist who also could tear out walls or craft complicated woodwork.
"He was one of the businessmen that impacted the lives of just about everyone with a home in south St. Petersburg," said civil rights leader Sevell Brown.
Brown, who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Florida Chapter, issued a resolution recognizing Mr. Church's work, his support of events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his efforts to preserve landmarks in historic neighborhoods.
The state government may also honor Mr. Church, Brown said.
Born at home Dec. 3, 1933, near Jordan Elementary School on Ninth Avenue S, Mr. Church grew up in an era when African-Americans in St. Petersburg were beginning to establish themselves as craftsmen.
His family moved here from Camilla, Ga., in the early 1920s during the city's boom period, when black people throughout the South were recruited to fill a need for construction workers.
During his youth, Mr. Church worked with his father, a brother and an uncle. He first learned skills in an industrial arts class taught by Charles Ford at Gibbs High School, where Mr. Church graduated in 1951.
"He was captain of the football team, even though he was small," said Faith Walker, Mr. Church's daughter. Mr. Church was a slender 5 feet 6, Walker said.
Family members for years have owned a beer garden, the South End Tavern on 25th Street S, near Jordan Park. In the 1940s, they owned a store near the site called Everybody's Grocery.
"I'm not sure, but I think (Mr. Church and family members) built that building," Walker said. "I can remember seeing pictures of them on scaffolds."
As his career advanced, Mr. Church worked on churches and offices in addition to his homes. Some of his work is publicly visible, as at 2535 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. S. His tile work adorns an outside wall of the Florida Parent Child Center.
Buster Cooper, a world-famous trombonist, grew up not far from Mr. Church. When he and his wife moved back to Florida several years ago, Cooper bought some tile for his Pinellas Point house.
"I knew just the guy to lay it out," Cooper said. "He did a fabulous, fabulous job."
Cooper's sister is Doretha Bacon, who had the Doe-Al restaurants in St. Petersburg. Mr. Church worked for her. He remodeled Creal Funeral Home, a job that included rebuilding the furniture. Retired educator Vyrle Davis hired Mr. Church more than once.
"An outstanding craftsman," Davis said. "He carried on a tradition that started in the industrial arts class at Gibbs High School."
His last job was Cynthia Ferguson's home, a two-story house on Second Avenue S that dates from the 1920s. Mr. Church restored it, replacing floors, redoing the kitchen, cabinets and counter tops, repairing woodwork, enlarging rooms and updating a bathroom.
He started in February 2001 and worked the project every day for 14 months.
"I think this is probably the last thing he did before he passed," Ferguson said.
She said his patience emerged often.
"I'd come home from work. You know how women are: We change our mind every second. I'd say, 'I want to do this,"' Ferguson recalled.
"He'd say, 'You've got to be kidding. I shouldn't do anything until you come home,"' Ferguson said.
Mr. Church's cancer grew more virulent as he worked on Ferguson's house.
"He stuck to it until he got sick and couldn't do anymore," she said.
During his bout with cancer, Mr. Church's larynx was removed and a leg amputated. But instead of discouraging him, the travails appeared to energize him, Walker said.
"He had a smile on his face. You could still see the fight in him."