Minnie Lizzie Slaughter Family History

One of the West Des Moines residents, Thressa, met a navy hero, Omar James. In 1958 they had a daughter Omega, the name signifying the last in the Greek alphabet.

​​Minnie Lizzie Slaughter Family History

Minnie Lizzie was born to Hanna Slaughter in Opelika, Alabama two centuries ago. She acquired a 6th grade education. It is unknown when she moved to Chicago, but she also had 2 sisters that lived there, Omega and Mary. Omega Gothard eventually moved to Des Moines, caring for her great-niece Jaquinta and great-nephew, Tristan Cherry. Mary Charles moved to Los Angeles and became a pastor.

Minnie had three children, Wilbur Cherry, Thressa Cherry, and John Henry Robinson. Thressa graduated from Windell Phillips High School in 1939 along with Reese (Goose) Tatum, the original clown prince of basketball that acquired thy name while playing center for the Harlem GlobeTrotters. Other classmates were Nat King Cole and Johnson, the publisher of Ebony and other black magazines. Ting (Wilbur Cherry) was a very successful barber and businessman. He was able to buy himself a house complete with a basement and pool table. It was in a nice area of Chicago, 94th and Union. In 1957 he showed up in West Des Moines in a brand new ’57 black Ford hardtop convertible.

Thressa had a child, Wilbur Eugene Cherry ’39, with Eugene Blue. Eugene is the cousin of Vida Blue who pitched for the Iowa Oaks before becoming famous as a star pitcher for the Oakland A’s. A few years later, she married John Lamar and had seven more children: Michael, Larry, Dennis, Carl, Pamela, Wayne, and Diane. Diane died in childbirth.

Doc Slaughter left Minnie’s property in New Jersey and West Des Moines. Then she met and married Robert Love, an employee of Meredith Publishing Company. Minnie Love moved her daughter and six grandchildren to West Des Moines in 1955. Eugene and Michael both suffered from asthma and arrived in Des Moines with puffy runny eyes and sneezing fits.

One of the West Des Moines residents, Thressa, met a navy hero, Omar James. In 1958 they had a daughter Omega, the name signifying the last in the Greek alphabet. However, soon after Judy was born. Minnie Lizzie Loved died at the age of 81, but her legacy lives on in her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Among them is a great grandson that graduated from Duke and Columbia Universities and is currently a lawyer. There is also a great granddaughter that is an artist. And a great-great granddaughter who won the 100 yard dash at the Drake Relays 2 years in a row.