Zella Shaver was born in Eufaula, OK March 31 st 1941 to two wonderful parents Mother Lee Anna
(Leetha) Blackwell Shaver and Father Christopher Columbus ( Doc) Shaver. Five siblings preceded Zella in
birth and death. Zella had one sister Cecil (Tut) Shaver Stephenson. Zella had four Brothers Thomas
James (Sunman) Hardy, James Dewey(J.D.) Shaver, Roosevelt (R.V) Shaver and George Washington
(G.W) Shaver.

Zella's parents were not only great role models but great teachers who taught us children (at an early
age) that Sunday was God's day(all day) because He gave us six days to do whatever we needed to do.
So, Sunday(all day) was church day. So when I was seven years old, I joined Sulpher Springs Baptist
Church. We had no indoor pool at church so I was baptized in a very dirty creek where trash floated and
snakes(which the sight of terrified me) swam. I had no fear that Sunday and although the water was
dirty that I was dipped into…. I came out of the water feeling as clean as if I had just got out of a warm
bath.

Everyone deserved respect so we were not allowed to laugh at or make fun of anyone no matter what
people around us were doing. " Everyone deserves respect was continued to be the motto of my daily
life as a child and as and adult.

Education was important to my fathers children. He wanted us to have the advantage that he never had
so before he died near the end of my junior year in high school( I was told he called my three brothers to
his hospital bed who had already been to college and told them to be sure I went to college. Even
though they were married and had families they made sure I attended and finished college.
Zella's first job was in the Cleveland Ohio Board of Education( hired before graduation from college). She
taught in Cleveland two years before moving to Kansas City, Missouri and working in the Kansas City,
Missouri Board of Education for forty years.

While in Kansas City Zella lived with her sister until her mother died in 1960. After that year she married
James Napoleon Randolph. To this union who was Zella's most valued life line whom she protected like a
fierce lion.

By the time Dennis was seven Zella had gotten her certification in Reading and Master's Degree so she
was ready to keep her promise to take Dennis to Hawaii with a stopover at Disneyland in Anahiem,
California. My sister who traveled with us also enjoyed traveling so that was the beginning of many trips
by car, train, bus, airplane and ship. I wanted my son to have the travel advantages that I didn't have at
his age.

Before Zella's divorce was finalized and while working on her Master's Degree, she worked full time job
and many part time jobs to ensure that her son wouldn't feel disadvantage because he wanted
something she could buy him.

Zella retired from the Kansas City Missouri School District Nov 2005 because the building effected her
health in a negative was. However she was able to complete the regular and summer school classes in
surrounding schoold districts before moving to and living in New York state, Lake St Louis, Missouri, and
Lawndale, California and finally to her final resting place in Wichita, Kansas with her beloved sister and
two brothers. Zella leaves to celebrate life one son Dennis Christopher Randolph, Grandson Jordan
Dykla, Granddaughters Alexis Randolph, Adrianna Ray, great grandsons Zakkai and Elias Ray and great
granddaughter Octavia Dykla and nieces , nephews, cousins, and friends.