Broke barriers in military

When society women and VIPs visited the gift wrap department at Neiman Marcus, they asked for LaVergne Celestine.

They knew Mrs. Celestine would wrap their packages superbly, the seams creased with military crispness.

They probably didn't know the quiet, self-effacing woman had perfected her precision in the Women's Army Corps, where she was a first sergeant — a notable achievement for an African-American woman during the years she served, from 1942-1946.

"She was a groundbreaker," said an official of the Arlington, Va.-based Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation.

In 1944, when major Chicago papers rarely reported on people of color, she drew a mention in a local story about "Women at War." She also won an Award of Honor for her military service from Mayor Edward J. Kelly.

She would become a master sergeant in the Army Reserves, and later a high-ranking employee of the U.S. Treasury.

Her power as both standard bearer and lure is apparent in a 1951 letter from the Chicago U.S. Army & U.S. Air Force recruiting station at 209 W. Jackson. In it, a military official urged her to become a recruiter, saying, "There is a great need for a colored gal in our office."

The letter assured her that various high-ranking military officers had not only been briefed about her, but were awaiting her answer. It ended with the capital-lettered appeal: "WE WANT YOU, LOLLY!" Ultimately, she did become a recruiter.

Even though she cut an impeccable appearance and had a diligent, disciplined work ethic, she was no martinet, said a friend, Cecilia Mowatt. When a co-worker fled an abusive husband in the middle of the night, it was Mrs. Celestine's home where she sought shelter — and it was given.

Mrs. Celestine, 92, who had survived colon, lung and throat cancer, died of pneumonia last month at the University of Chicago Hospitals.

Mrs. Celestine grew up LaVergne Grose on the South Side and attended Carter grade school at 57th and Michigan and Lucy Flower vocational high school at 3545 W. Fulton. At Flower she learned dressmaking. She could make everything from a coat to a suit, but once she retired from the federal government and landed a job at Neiman Marcus, her employee discount meant she usually enjoyed buying off the rack.

In 1942 she joined the WAC, becoming a platoon sergeant at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, and a supply sergeant and first sergeant at Camp Atterbury, Ind. She left the Army Reserves in 1951 with the rank of master sergeant.

Mrs. Celestine landed jobs at the City of Chicago, the U.S. Postal Service, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department. At the Treasury, she rose to the position of deputy director of the Chicago Disbursing Center, guiding employees through changes in computer systems before her retirement in 1975, Mowatt said.

When she started with the Treasury, "There were no African Americans above a Grade 5" federal rank, said her friend Warren Chapman, who also worked at the Treasury. "She moved up from a grade three all the way up to grade 14. She was the highest-ranking black in that division." Her department produced all the Social Security checks for the six states then in Region 5, he said.

She connected with the love of her life, Sydney Celestine, while playing tennis at Washington Park. Her future husband, who was from the West Indian island of Grenada, courted her with love poetry he wrote himself.

Later Sydney became involved in bowling, and they often went out playing with personalized bowling balls. He would later be inducted as a pioneer in the International Bowling Hall of Fame & Museum.

She watched bowling on TV her whole life. She also followed the tennis exploits of the Williams Sisters and golfer Tiger Woods.

Mrs. Celestine lived at 6700 S. Oglesby for more than 30 years in a gracious apartment decorated with Persian rugs. She was a good friend to many in her building. Though she only weighed about 115 pounds, she used to help lift up a neighbor who weighed a great deal more whenever the neighbor fell, Mowatt said.

Mrs. Celestine attended Congregational Church of Park Manor at 70th and King Drive.

Mrs. Celestine had a fondness for rings and earrings, rum cake and spaghetti, and trips now and then to area gambling boats.

A service is planned for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Church of St. Paul & the Redeemer, 4945 S. Dorchester.

LaVergne Celestine, 92, died in March. She was a "groundbreaker" in military and civilian life.