Emma L. Buchanan

Emma L. Buchanan was born on Monday, October 30, 1922, in New Albany, Indiana. She was the fifth child of nine children of the late George Rogester and the late Lovie Shipley and the loving sister to the late Paul Rogester, Grace Kavanaugh, Mary Tyler, Georgie Thomas, Charles Rogester, Alex Rogester, Alice Shipley and Jannie Rhodes. Growing up in Indiana, Emma enjoyed playing baseball as a child and was a third baseman. She was an excelled student at the top of her class and she enjoyed reading and writing and was revered by her fellow classmates. Emma attended Louisville Municipal College (one of three liberal arts colleges for African Americans) and was a member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. During World War II she served as a volunteer with the USO in Louisville, Kentucky. She witnessed some of the greatest bands, singers and artists of that time, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Lena Horne and many others just to name a few. She enjoyed the music and loved to dance. One of Emma’s favorite stories about her life that she loved to share was the day she met the love of her life and husband the late William Martin Buchanan Sr. she would often refer to him as “My Bill”. They met at one of the USO club dances on Chestnut Street in Louisville, Kentucky while William was serving in the Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky prior to being deployed overseas during World War II. Their courtship endured during wartime. They became engaged and married after William returned home from the war. From this union they had 8 children. When Emma and her family relocated from Kentucky to Pennsylvania in the 1960’s she was one of the first teaching assistants to work in the initial Head Start Program in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Emma continued working as an assistant in the Harrisburg High Schools where students benefitted from her wisdom and touching advice. Emma was an avid TV and movie viewer. She especially loved watching soap operas. Her favorite soap operas were the ones that her Mother Lovie enjoyed, “Search for Tomorrow”, “Guiding Light” and “The Young and the Restless.” She began watching soap operas to occupy her time while doing housework and changing the diapers of her children. Emma loved all of Betty Davis’ movies. She loved listening to jazz, R&B music, show tunes, live musical concerts, operas and plays. Emma was an excellent card player. She loved all things beautiful, gardens, flowers, especially, roses and orchids. She also loved to go shopping. Emma enjoyed reading a variety of genres of literature. One of her favorite books was Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. She also enjoyed historical literature. She avidly read the Bible and The Ten Commandments and Ecclesiastes were her favorite parts of the Bible. Emma was a Sunday school teacher and treasurer at her home church, Broadway Temple AME Zion in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the recipient of the Golden Rose Honoree Award as the oldest living, beloved and respected member of Bethel AME Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She also received a Proclamation signed by the Harrisburg City Council in Honor of Women’s Day by her church for her life-long commitment and dedication to the Lord and was admired for living a life of sacrifice and humility. Some of her proudest moments was supporting and shepherding her children to excel in all their accomplishments academically, in sports and later in their professional careers. She enjoyed all the special family occasions, graduations, weddings, birthdays and holiday gatherings. This truly was her heart, spending time with all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling to see family during the holidays and viewing her many photo albums full of pictures, it was a great past time and later in her life she enjoyed watching the digital photos on her Skylight. Emma had an impeccable memory of dates and events that occurred throughout her life. She kept all her children’s grade reports through college. She was a loving and proud mother of 8 children, 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Emma was a centenarian and she lived a long, joyous life of 100+ years. She celebrated this milestone birthday last October surrounded in love by her children, grand and great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. On this momentous and joyous occasion, Emma received special commendation letters from President Joe Biden, the White House and Tom Wolfe, former Governor of Pennsylvania. Emma will be most remembered for her sweet, kind demeanor, humorous and infectious laugh and engaging personality and love of God and her family. This love sustained and surrounded her on the celebration of her 100th birthday. LOVE is what she taught her family as the key to life that will forever endure. Emma lived through and voted in every Presidential election since she was old enough to vote. She also lived through and experienced, World War II, segregation, the Civil Rights movement and witnessed the first black President Barack Obama being inaugurated twice, a highlight, she said of her lifetime. Emma enjoyed her long life and one of her secrets to longevity stems from words of wisdom her Mother Lovie Shipley told her:“Treat people right and reach out and help others. Don’t be judgmental as it may come back to haunt you.” Emma would also share this poignant verse with her children: “Down not the girl that’s down today but cheer her up in her sorrow. This old world is a funny world you maybe down tomorrow.” On Thursday, March 30, 2023, Emma L. Buchanan, at the age of 100 years and 5 months, transitioned from this earthly life into eternal life at the Butler Street Residential Hospice in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In addition to her parents, siblings and beloved husband, she is preceded in death by her sons, Anthony Maurice and George Howard; grandsons, Brian and Anthony Buchanan and daughter-in-law, Jackie. Emma was a beloved, wife, mother, grand and great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend who is endeared and will be dearly missed by her loved ones. She is survived by, her children, William Martin Buchanan, Jr., Larry Eugene Buchanan, (Roberta), Doris Washington (John), Phillip Buchanan (Pamela), Joyce Alma Buchanan, Gloria Buchanan Green (Robert); daughter-in-law, Sue Buchanan; Grandchildren, John Calvin Washington, Lakita Gilmore (Kevin), Felicia DeWitt (grand daughter-in-law), Angie Prophet (Greg), Jnai Buchanan, Marc Buchanan (Ann), Robert M. Buchanan (Jennifer Jiggetts), Maurice Buchanan (Margaret Selva), Symeon Shimin, Rachel Humphrey (Brian), Renee Tate (Keith); Great-grandchildren, Kiersten Gilmore, Kevin Jr. Gilmore, Audrey Buchanan, Makayla Shimin, Liam Prophet, Theo Buchanan, Elisia Buchanan, Miles Gabriel Green, Ellis Sebastian Green, Evelyn Humphrey, Violet Humphrey, Bennett Louis Humphrey, Kallum Marcellus Buchanan and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, sister-in-laws and other relative. Visitation: 10am-12pm Friday, April 14, 2023 at A. D. Porter & Sons Funeral Home, 1300 W. Chestnut St., funeral service to follow at noon, burial in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. services will be live stream via:https://vimeo.com/816649496

Emma L. Buchanan

October 30, 1922 - March 30, 2023