Funeral services are Saturday, May 25, 9:30 am, for educator, activist and radio and cable television personality Gloria Makeda Judkins Cade at Pernel Jones Funeral Home in Cleveland, Cade produced and hosted "Black Women Talk" on WERE 1300 AM Radio in Cleveland, she fought with other activists and won free public access for Black community of greater Cleveland on radio, cable television

Gloria Makeda Judkins Cade

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief,  Cleveland Urban News.Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com, Ohio's No 1 and No 2 online Black newspapers (www.clevelandurbannews.com) Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473

CLEVELAND, Ohio-Funeral services for Gloria Makeda Judkins Cade, 88, of East Cleveland, OH, who died on May 15  at the Fairfax Nursing Home in Cleveland after a long illness, will be held on Saturday, May 25 at Pernel Jones Funeral Home in Cleveland, 7120 Cedar Ave., with a wake at 9:00 am and the funeral at 9:30 am.

Speakers at the funeral services include Black women activists Cleveland Ward 6 Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell, Genevieve Mitchell of the Carl Stokes Brigade and the Cleveland Chapter NAACP, and local journalist Kathy Wray Coleman of the Imperial Women.

Mrs. Cade was a respected wife, mother, educator, community activist, radio personality, business woman and advocate for women and the Black community. She was the recipient of many commendation awards, including a recent community service award from the Fairfax Business Association of Cleveland. 

Until falling ill three years ago, she hosted a popular radio talk show on WERE1300 AM Radio Station in Cleveland titled “Black Women Talk,” a program offered after she spearheaded a successful fight for free public access to radio and television for the Black community in Cleveland and greater Cleveland on cable television and numerous radio stations, including WERE and WJMO 1490 AM. That fight for public media access, also led by Community Activist Talbert Jennings, 92, of the grassroots groups the Carl Stokes Brigade, began with the Northcoast Cable television franchise, which is now Time Warner.

Since her absence from the media forum Blacks have lost the level of public access in radio and cable television in Cleveland and greater Cleveland that she tirelessly fought for.

Known for passionately speaking the truth on issues of public concern impacting Black women and the Black community Makeda, as she was fondly called by friends and community activists, often talked about the importance of women contributing and participating equally with their male counterparts in making their lives and communities better. She served as president of the National Association for African American Education, Cleveland chapter, and published the “Black Women Journal.”

In 1984 at the urging of Black women business owners, Mrs. Cade formed the National Federation of Black Women Business Owners (NFBWBO), which was headquartered in Washington, DC. 

Officially organized in 1993, NFBWO was formed to address the needs of Black women business owners seeking to overcome obstacles in the workplace that hindered their growth and development.

Mrs. Cade was born April 15, 1925 in Birmingham, AL to the late Bosman Judkins and Juanita Harris Judkins, and was the first of four children. She married the late Tanzy Cade and to that union were three children. Her utmost concern was making life better for others and her family. 

As a teenager she moved with her family from Alabama to Cleveland and graduated from John Jay High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Kent State University and landed first teaching job as a third grade teacher at St. Agnes Catholic School. She was also employed at Oberlin College during a period in her career. She believed that all children can learn and was a mentor for young people and adults. And she fought for equal opportunity for Black women and Black people on the airways, in the courts, and through her successful win for public radio and cable television access. 

Mrs. Cade was preceded in death by her husband and parents; a brother, Harold Judkins, and a sister, Juanita Delano Judkins Raines.

She is survived by sons Bernard Cade (Della Davidson) of Los Angeles, CA, and Donald Cartier of St. Louis  M0; a daughter, Gloria Cade of Cleveland, OH; a sister, Bernice Judkins Lewis of Cleveland,OH.; five grandchildren Tracie, Shelly, Ifetayo, William Edward and Donald Agonoten; several great-grandchildren; nephews Melvin Lewis and Harold Raines; cousins Beverly (Calvin) Lucas Clark, Robert Lucas and Audrey Lucas, and a host other relatives, associates and friends.

Interment is at Cleveland Memorial Gardens.