Life's Brief Glance
Melvin Clipper Driver, Jr. was born August 22, 1936. He was the first of five children born to Melvin and Mary Driver. Melvin, known to his family as Junny or Hank and all others, as Driver, attended Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, graduating from Carver High School as class Valedictorian. He was also a graduate of Miami-Dade Community College.
He grew up in and around Seneca, Maryland, where in his younger years he was an active member of the Seneca Community Church, serving as their Methodist Youth Fellowship Leader for many years.
After graduation, and going against his parents' wishes to attend college, he joined the Air Force stationed in Homestead, FL. While stationed there, he met his wife of fifty-four years, Shirley Jean Lee, and together they had three sons: Melvin III, Daryl Cornell, and Lynn Durand.
Moving back to Maryland after leaving the Armed Services, he held several jobs, but then decided to become a fireman. Knowing there would be challenges of being a minority, he proved that he not only was capable, but surpassed the testing qualifications. He was hired as a Washington, DC Firefighter where he served for nine years. He transferred to Florida in August 1973 to join the Metropolitan Dade County Association of Firefighters, Local 1403. He was a history maker in that he was the first and only African American Firefighter for the Homestead Fire Department before merging with the Metro Dade County Association of Firefighters. He served twenty-three dedicated years and retired in 1996.
Melvin and Shirley lived in Homestead for over twenty-one years before relocating to Titusville after Hurricane Andrew.
Melvin was passionate about race cars and was an intricate part of the Hollywood Speedway Park where he drove his car "Pee Wee Power". Upon moving to Titusville, he frequently spent time at the Orlando Speed World enjoying the races.
Melvin cared deeply for his family and was an amazing provider to them. He was preceded in death by his father Melvin Driver; son, Darrell Cornell Driver; sister Pamela Diane Pumphrey and niece, Tamara Michele Pumphrey Nance.
Melvin is survived by his wife, Shirley Jean; two sons, Melvin Clipper Driver, III (Kathy), Lynn Durand; mother, Mary Driver; eight grandchildren: Darryl Jr., Dante, Melvon, Michael, Mia, Marquis, Aramis, and Malek; two great grand-children: three sisters, Marylee Burton (Richard), Joan Ethelwynn Driver and Kathy Rene'e Driver-Kelly; three brothers-in-law, Presiding Elder Rev. Hartford Lee (Bernice), Ernest Lee (Susan) and Ray Lee (Melanie); a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Melvin Clipper Driver, Jr. was born August 22, 1936. He was the first of five children born to Melvin and Mary Driver. Melvin, known to his family as Junny or Hank and all others, as Driver, attended Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, graduating from Carver High School as class Valedictorian. He was also a graduate of Miami-Dade Community College.
He grew up in and around Seneca, Maryland, where in his younger years he was an active member of the Seneca Community Church, serving as their Methodist Youth Fellowship Leader for many years.
After graduation, and going against his parents' wishes to attend college, he joined the Air Force stationed in Homestead, FL. While stationed there, he met his wife of fifty-four years, Shirley Jean Lee, and together they had three sons: Melvin III, Daryl Cornell, and Lynn Durand.
Moving back to Maryland after leaving the Armed Services, he held several jobs, but then decided to become a fireman. Knowing there would be challenges of being a minority, he proved that he not only was capable, but surpassed the testing qualifications. He was hired as a Washington, DC Firefighter where he served for nine years. He transferred to Florida in August 1973 to join the Metropolitan Dade County Association of Firefighters, Local 1403. He was a history maker in that he was the first and only African American Firefighter for the Homestead Fire Department before merging with the Metro Dade County Association of Firefighters. He served twenty-three dedicated years and retired in 1996.
Melvin and Shirley lived in Homestead for over twenty-one years before relocating to Titusville after Hurricane Andrew.
Melvin was passionate about race cars and was an intricate part of the Hollywood Speedway Park where he drove his car "Pee Wee Power". Upon moving to Titusville, he frequently spent time at the Orlando Speed World enjoying the races.
Melvin cared deeply for his family and was an amazing provider to them. He was preceded in death by his father Melvin Driver; son, Darrell Cornell Driver; sister Pamela Diane Pumphrey and niece, Tamara Michele Pumphrey Nance.
Melvin is survived by his wife, Shirley Jean; two sons, Melvin Clipper Driver, III (Kathy), Lynn Durand; mother, Mary Driver; eight grandchildren: Darryl Jr., Dante, Melvon, Michael, Mia, Marquis, Aramis, and Malek; two great grand-children: three sisters, Marylee Burton (Richard), Joan Ethelwynn Driver and Kathy Rene'e Driver-Kelly; three brothers-in-law, Presiding Elder Rev. Hartford Lee (Bernice), Ernest Lee (Susan) and Ray Lee (Melanie); a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Life's Brief Glance
Melvin Clipper Driver, Jr. was born August 22, 1936. He was the first of five children born to Melvin and Mary Driver. Melvin, known to his family as Junny or Hank and all others, as Driver, attended Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, graduating from Carver High School as class Valedictorian. He was also a graduate of Miami-Dade Community College.
He grew up in and around Seneca, Maryland, where in his younger years he was an active member of the Seneca Community Church, serving as their Methodist Youth Fellowship Leader for many years.
After graduation, and going against his parents' wishes to attend college, he joined the Air Force stationed in Homestead, FL. While stationed there, he met his wife of fifty-four years, Shirley Jean Lee, and together they had three sons: Melvin III, Daryl Cornell, and Lynn Durand.
Moving back to Maryland after leaving the Armed Services, he held several jobs, but then decided to become a fireman. Knowing there would be challenges of being a minority, he proved that he not only was capable, but surpassed the testing qualifications. He was hired as a Washington, DC Firefighter where he served for nine years. He transferred to Florida in August 1973 to join the Metropolitan Dade County Association of Firefighters, Local 1403. He was a history maker in that he was the first and only African American Firefighter for the Homestead Fire Department before merging with the Metro Dade County Association of Firefighters. He served twenty-three dedicated years and retired in 1996.
Melvin and Shirley lived in Homestead for over twenty-one years before relocating to Titusville after Hurricane Andrew.
Melvin was passionate about race cars and was an intricate part of the Hollywood Speedway Park where he drove his car "Pee Wee Power". Upon moving to Titusville, he frequently spent time at the Orlando Speed World enjoying the races.
Melvin cared deeply for his family and was an amazing provider to them. He was preceded in death by his father Melvin Driver; son, Darrell Cornell Driver; sister Pamela Diane Pumphrey and niece, Tamara Michele Pumphrey Nance.
Melvin is survived by his wife, Shirley Jean; two sons, Melvin Clipper Driver, III (Kathy), Lynn Durand; mother, Mary Driver; eight grandchildren: Darryl Jr., Dante, Melvon, Michael, Mia, Marquis, Aramis, and Malek; two great grand-children: three sisters, Marylee Burton (Richard), Joan Ethelwynn Driver and Kathy Rene'e Driver-Kelly; three brothers-in-law, Presiding Elder Rev. Hartford Lee (Bernice), Ernest Lee (Susan) and Ray Lee (Melanie); a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Melvin Clipper Driver, Jr. was born August 22, 1936. He was the first of five children born to Melvin and Mary Driver. Melvin, known to his family as Junny or Hank and all others, as Driver, attended Montgomery County Maryland Public Schools, graduating from Carver High School as class Valedictorian. He was also a graduate of Miami-Dade Community College.
He grew up in and around Seneca, Maryland, where in his younger years he was an active member of the Seneca Community Church, serving as their Methodist Youth Fellowship Leader for many years.
After graduation, and going against his parents' wishes to attend college, he joined the Air Force stationed in Homestead, FL. While stationed there, he met his wife of fifty-four years, Shirley Jean Lee, and together they had three sons: Melvin III, Daryl Cornell, and Lynn Durand.
Moving back to Maryland after leaving the Armed Services, he held several jobs, but then decided to become a fireman. Knowing there would be challenges of being a minority, he proved that he not only was capable, but surpassed the testing qualifications. He was hired as a Washington, DC Firefighter where he served for nine years. He transferred to Florida in August 1973 to join the Metropolitan Dade County Association of Firefighters, Local 1403. He was a history maker in that he was the first and only African American Firefighter for the Homestead Fire Department before merging with the Metro Dade County Association of Firefighters. He served twenty-three dedicated years and retired in 1996.
Melvin and Shirley lived in Homestead for over twenty-one years before relocating to Titusville after Hurricane Andrew.
Melvin was passionate about race cars and was an intricate part of the Hollywood Speedway Park where he drove his car "Pee Wee Power". Upon moving to Titusville, he frequently spent time at the Orlando Speed World enjoying the races.
Melvin cared deeply for his family and was an amazing provider to them. He was preceded in death by his father Melvin Driver; son, Darrell Cornell Driver; sister Pamela Diane Pumphrey and niece, Tamara Michele Pumphrey Nance.
Melvin is survived by his wife, Shirley Jean; two sons, Melvin Clipper Driver, III (Kathy), Lynn Durand; mother, Mary Driver; eight grandchildren: Darryl Jr., Dante, Melvon, Michael, Mia, Marquis, Aramis, and Malek; two great grand-children: three sisters, Marylee Burton (Richard), Joan Ethelwynn Driver and Kathy Rene'e Driver-Kelly; three brothers-in-law, Presiding Elder Rev. Hartford Lee (Bernice), Ernest Lee (Susan) and Ray Lee (Melanie); a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
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