Magic 11th Street

08/27/2026

NATIVE AMERICAN AWARENESS DAY 2027 IS THIS YEAR'S NORTH TEXAS GIVING DAY PROJECT FOR FRIENDS OF MAGIC 11TH STREET

Helping Garlandites further understand the Native American experience and heritage in North Texas and beyond through a half-day symposium, "Before the Cities, Before the Highways", is the Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street North Texas Giving Day 2026 project this year.

As the annual North Texas Giving Day kicks off today, the Friends nonprofit has set a $2,500 goal to help fund this event, which will be free and open to the public and is set for March 6, 2027, at the Central Garland Library (TX).

This topic was first introduced to Garland in March 2026 when Friends sponsored a full-day event, "Other Steps, Another Time: Garland Native American Awareness Day 2026" at the Plaza Theatre.

This sequel program will feature keynote speakers sharing about their Indigenous heritage, Native American dances, art, original music, food, and displays.

North Texas Giving Day is Communities Foundation of Texas’ largest community initiative, and the largest community-wide giving event in the nation.

Thanks to help from generous givers and sponsors, Communities Foundation of Texas covers all transaction and technology fees, ensuring 100% of each donation made on the site goes to nonprofits in more than 25 cause areas across 20 North Texas
counties, all year long.

This year's North Texas Giving Day culminates on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

To donate, go to this link: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/5296

08/25/2026

Members of Jeanne and Robert Vera's blended family combined efforts this morning to deliver a thorough testimony of Jeanne's influence on all their lives and on the community.

Grandson Joshua Pritchett, who filled the pastoral role in the memorial service for Jeanne at Williams Funeral Home in Garland, noted that some guests in attendance had served with Robert in various capacities but noted that "no one served with him the way that she (Jeanne) did". Besides being a three-term city councilmember, Robert also had been on the Garland Plan Commission.

Jeanne passed away August 13 at age 84. She and Robert, who had known each other since the 8th grade growing up in South Texas, had been married 39 years. They were honorary lifetime members of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street.

Several speakers alluded to Jeanne's role as perpetual encourager. Pritchett said after a conversation with his grandmother, "I felt 10-feet tall and the most handsome man in the room".

"Her life was marked by love, faith, compassion, and devotion," he continued. "Her faith in Christ guided her life and gave her strength in every season."

Vivian Vera said her step-mom had "an incredible way of making people feel loved". She thanked her dad, Robert, for his sacrifice in caring for Jeanne in her recent months of failing health.

Daughter Christie Mayock spoke of Jeanne's strength, describing her mother as "a lot stronger than that sweet little voice would lead you to believe". Daughter Holly Krhovjak said all her friends wanted "a little dusting" of Jeanne's encouragement.

Three grandchildren--Jax Biggers, Kate Darby, and Andrew Hill--read scripture passages.

Burial is tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 10:15 a.m. at DFW National Cemetery, Dallas

08/25/2026

Remembering Garland Independent School District veteran board member Linda Griffin, a supporter of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street activities, whose passing on August 23 was announced yesterday by her family. Linda was a faithful attendee at Magic 11th Street activities. In the first photo she is with then-State Representative Cindy Burkett at the unveiling of the Texas Historical Marker for the Travis College Hill Addition in 2025. In the second photo Linda is one of the "Luminaries"—outstanding Garlandites that have distinguished themselves in various fields—that walked across the stage during the concluding act of "The Flats" musical drama in 2024.

08/24/2026

Visitation is from 5 to 9 p.m. this evening (Monday) at Williams Funeral Home in Garland for Jeanne Vera (Iris Jean Vera), wife of former Garland City Councilmember Robert Vera. Jeanne passed away on August 13 at age 84. She and Robert were honorary lifetime members of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street nonprofit, of which Robert is a Board member.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at Williams Funeral Home. Burial will be held at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas at 10:15 a.m on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Her full obituary can be found here: https://www.williamsfuneral.com/obituaries/iris-vera

08/20/2026

The full obituary for Jeanne Vera (Iris Jean Vera), wife of former Garland City Councilmember Robert Vera, has now been posted. It can be found on the williamsfuneral.com site: https://www.williamsfuneral.com/obituaries/iris-vera Robert and Jeanne were honorary lifetime members of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street, of which Robert was a member of the Board of Directors.

View Iris Jean Vera's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

08/20/2026

An intrepid group of about 35 worshipers braved the 108-degree heat Wednesday evening to say thanks for the century-old structure, set for demolition, that once housed their congregation in Garland's West End. Pastor Wesley Perine charged the members of Sims Chapel - Garland to honor the faith of those long-ago founders that began Sims at its original site at State and Roosevelt Streets and to continue to be a lighthouse for the community at its present location on Parker Drive. Members, even the most elderly, hoisted themselves over broken steps to briefly assemble inside the decaying structure and have a prayer time at the former altar, which a handful had been part of before the church sold the property in 1975 and moved to the East End on Parker. Garlandite Robert Clark, one of the senior-most members, said he was a child of about 2 when his family first brought him to church there. Several guests helped Perine salvage the old pulpit at the building, unoccupied for about a decade and deemed unsalvageable, before the city continues demolition this week. Garland Mayor Pro Tem Chris Ott joined the worshipers in paying respects to the church. Perine dug a hole in the grass and asked members to bring scriptures, photos, and other mementoes to place in a time capsule to be installed in the ground for posterity on the former church site. Longtime member Carol Montgomery, whose grandparents were early leaders at Sims, read a brief history she planned to insert at the church's 111-year birthday celebration on Sunday.

08/20/2026

Services have been set for Jeanne Vera, wife of former Garland City Councilmember Robert Vera, who passed away last Thursday in Garland. Jeanne and Robert, who had been married 38 years, were honorary lifetime members of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street nonprofit. She was 84.

A visitation will be held at Williams Funeral Home in Garland on from 5 to 9 on Monday, August 24. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. the following morning, Tuesday, August 25, at Williams Funeral Home. Burial will be held at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas at 10:15 a.m on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Jeanne was a cast member of "The Cactus Chronicles" musical drama performed in 2021 about the Manuel and Maria Valle family. She had been in declining health for the past several years. Her obituary with her many accomplishments will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in the memory of Jeanne Vera to the nonprofit Friends of Garland Historic Magic 11th Street, www.friendsofgarlandshistoricmagic11thst.org

08/17/2026

Community members said a fond goodbye this afternoon to the building that once housed Sims Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Garland's oldest Black church, on the eve of the building's demolition. Garland Mayor Pro Tem Chris Ott, whose district includes the property, led a small commemorative service on the site of the 100-plus year-old structure at the corner of Roosevelt and State Streets in the city's West End. Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street, which had endeavored to save the building, were joined by Carol Montgomery, whose grandparents were members since the 1920s and who grew up attending church in the building, now in great decay and deemed unsalvageable. The Sims Chapel congregation, originally formed in 1915, moved to the church's current site on Parker Drive in 1969 and sold the original property and building in 1975. Mayor Pro Tem Ott, also vice-president of Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street, said a prayer, thanking God for all that had occurred on that site. "The faith, courage and service that began here live on in the congregation and in the community they helped build," he said in his remarks. The church structure has been unoccupied for at least a decade. The property has been condemned and a court order issued for demolition for more than a year. Friends of Magic 11th Street had sought a national grant to relocate the structure and restore it but had been unable to obtain a pledge commitment for sufficient funds for the massive project.

07/29/2026

Representatives from her church and community, as well as family members, testified this morning about Lillie Pearl Scruggs Hopkins' "conviction and character" as her celebration of life service was held at Garland's Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church. Several brought resolutions from their organizations praising Ms. Lillie for her decades of service to Garland.

Ms. Lillie passed away July 18, only days before her 95th birthday. She attended the Garland Colored School (later the George Washington Carver School) in Garland until she and Tommy Hopkins married in 1948. She served as a key oral history source to inspire the creation of "The Flats: Cradle of a Community" musical drama, produced in April 2024 by Friends of Garland's Historic Magic 11th Street, and ultimately the Texas Historical Marker honoring The Flats and the city's surrounding mosaic and commemorative panels.

She worked for Varo for 28 years before retiring in 1994. Ed Charles, a deacon at Mt. Hebron who had been a co-worker at Varo, said she "seemed to have the respect of everyone in the company". Mt. Hebron Deacon Chris Shane spoke of how Ms. Lillie was an impetus behind "God's Closet" ministry begun in Chris' garage.

Resolutions were presented from the NAACP Garland Unit, Mt. Hebron, and Carver Alumni Programs and Services (CAPS), among others. Ms. Lillie was NAACP membership chairperson for two decades. Garland Unit President Ricky McNeal called her "a lady of character and conviction".

Several members of Ms. Lillie's family delivered testimonies. Her daughter Gayle, the only one of her six children still living, said her mother was. an "energizer bunny" who was "always a leader". Her niece, Carol Dennis-Dylan, nationally known vocalist, brought a musical tribute from California by video.

Emeritus pastor Rev. Leonard Leach said he learned quickly at "The Mount" that "if you want something happening in God's Closet, you call Sister Lillie". Rev. Frederick Johnson read from the New Testament and officiated. She had been a member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for many years until joining Mt. Hebron.

07/27/2026

The special times of remembrance for Garland community leader Lillie Pearl Scruggs Hopkins begin today. Visitation is from 5 to 7 today (Monday) at Chamberland Funerals and Cremations, 555 West Avenue D. Celebration of life is at 11 a.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) at Mt. Hebron (The Mount) Baptist Church, 1233 SH 66, with visitation one hour before the service. Ms. Lillie, at the time of her passing one of the most senior members of Garland's Black community, died July 18 a few days short of her 95th birthday. Here are some scenes from her life.